WorldStage— The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has extended by three days the deadline for political parties to submit the list of candidates for the 2027 Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections.
The Commission said the submission window, originally scheduled to close on Saturday, August 8, 2026, will now close on Tuesday, August 11, 2026.
INEC, in a statement issued on Saturday by the National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, said the extension followed appeals by political parties for additional time to complete the submission process through the dedicated online portal.
The Commission also announced the suspension of PVC collection in Osun State ahead of the August 15, 2026 governorship election.
INEC said voters who applied for replacement of lost, damaged or defaced Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) have until midnight on Sunday, August 9, 2026, to print downloadable copies of their cards.
According to the Commission, the deadline is necessary to enable it compile the data of downloaded PVCs and determine the final statistics of total PVCs collected ahead of the election.
INEC recalled that PVC collection in Osun commenced at the Registration Area level from July 22 to 28, 2026, but was extended to July 31 following complaints of large crowds and difficulties experienced by voters at collection centres.
The exercise subsequently moved to the Local Government Area level and ran from August 1 to 7, 2026.
The Commission further disclosed that replacement downloadable PVCs have been made available to voters in Odo-Otin and Ife Central Local Government Areas whose cards were reportedly carted away by hoodlums who invaded the two collection centres.
INEC, however, assured voters that the stolen PVCs cannot be used to vote.
The electoral body reiterated its readiness to conduct a free, fair, credible and inclusive governorship election in Osun State on August 15, 2026.
