INEC has extended the deadline for parties to upload 2026 governorship and assembly candidates to August 11, while suspending Osun PVC collection ahead of the August 15 poll.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has extended the deadline for political parties to upload candidates for the governorship and state houses of assembly elections from August 8 to August 11, 2026, following appeals from parties for more time to complete the process.
The extension was announced on Saturday in a statement by Mohammed Haruna, Chairman of INEC’s Information and Voter Education Committee.
Why the deadline was extended and what parties must do
“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 reads.
“The extension follows growing appeals by political parties for additional time to complete the process.”
Political parties now have until midnight on Tuesday, August 11, to complete the upload of their governorship and state house of assembly candidates on the commission’s portal. No further extension has been indicated, and parties that miss the new deadline risk having their candidates excluded from the electoral process.
Osun PVC collection suspended ahead of August 15 election
In a related development with direct implications for voters in Osun State, INEC has suspended the collection of permanent voter cards (PVCs) ahead of the state’s August 15 governorship election.
“The commission wishes to notify voters who applied for replacement of lost, damaged or defaced PVC that the window to print downloadable copies of their cards will expire by midnight of Sunday, 9th August, 2026,” the statement reads.
“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.”
Osun voters who have not yet collected or downloaded their replacement PVCs have until midnight on Sunday, August 9, to do so. After that window closes, the commission will compile final PVC statistics in preparation for election day.
Stolen PVCs in Odo-Otin and Ife Central cannot be used to vote
INEC also addressed the situation in two local government areas where voter cards were stolen, providing an alternative for affected voters while reassuring the public that the stolen cards pose no electoral risk.
“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,” the statement reads.
A timeline of Osun PVC collection
Haruna provided a full account of how PVC collection in Osun State unfolded before Saturday’s suspension. Collection commenced at the Registration Area (RA) level from July 22 to July 28, 2026. Owing to complaints of large crowds and difficulties encountered by voters at collection centres, the commission approved an extension of RA-level collection to July 31, 2026. Collection then moved to the LGA level, running from August 1 to August 7, 2026, before the commission moved to suspend further collection ahead of the election.
Haruna reiterated the commission’s commitment to conducting a free, fair, credible and inclusive governorship election in Osun State on August 15.
