The Independent National Electoral Commission has extended the deadline for political parties to upload the names of their candidates for the 2027 governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections from August 8 to August 11, 2026.
INEC announced the extension in a statement issued on Sunday by the Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna.
The commission said the decision followed appeals from political parties for additional time to complete the submission process.
“The submission window, which, according to the revised timetable and schedule of activities for the general election, was originally scheduled to close on Saturday, 8th August, 2026, has been extended to Tuesday, 11th August, 2026,” the statement said.
“The extension follows growing appeals by political parties for additional time to complete the process.”
INEC Suspends PVC Collection in Osun
In a related development, INEC has suspended the collection of Permanent Voter Cards in Osun State ahead of the August 15 governorship election.
Haruna said voters who applied for replacement of lost, damaged or defaced PVCs had until midnight on Sunday, August 9, to print downloadable copies of their cards.
“This is to allow the commission to compile the data of downloaded PVCs for final statistics of total PVCs collected ahead of the August 15th Osun governorship election,” the statement added.
The commission also announced that replacement downloadable PVCs had been made available to voters in Odo-Otin and Ife Central Local Government Areas whose cards were reportedly stolen by hoodlums who invaded the two collection centres.
“The commission also wishes to state that replacement downloadable PVCs have been made available to voters in Odo-Otin and Ife Central local government areas whose cards were carted away by hoodlums who invaded the two centres. The commission reiterates that the stolen cards cannot be used to vote,” INEC said.
Haruna recalled that PVC collection in Osun began at the Registration Area level on July 22 and was initially scheduled to end on July 28.
However, the commission extended the exercise to July 31 following complaints about overcrowding and difficulties encountered by voters at collection centres. The exercise subsequently moved to the local government level from August 1 to 7.
INEC reiterated its commitment to conducting a free, fair, credible and inclusive governorship election in Osun State.
