The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has suspended the collection of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) in Osun State ahead of the August 15, 2026 governorship election.

The commission announced the suspension in a statement issued on Saturday by the National Commissioner and Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, explaining that the exercise had ended to enable the commission compile data on the number of PVCs collected and prepare the final voter statistics for the election.

According to INEC, the PVC collection exercise commenced at the Registration Area (Ward) level from July 22 to July 28, 2026, but was extended to July 31 following complaints from voters over large crowds and challenges experienced at some collection centres. The exercise later moved to the Local Government Area offices, where it continued from August 1 to August 7, 2026.

The commission stated that the suspension would allow it to conclude the collation of data required to determine the final number of eligible voters who have collected their PVCs before election day.

INEC also directed voters who applied for the replacement of lost, damaged or defaced PVCs to print their downloadable voter cards on or before midnight on Sunday, August 9, 2026, warning that the window would close after the deadline.

The electoral body disclosed that downloadable replacement PVCs had been made available for affected voters in Odo-Otin and Ife Central Local Government Areas following the theft of PVCs by hoodlums who invaded two collection centres.

However, INEC assured the public that the stolen PVCs had been invalidated and could not be used during the governorship election, urging eligible voters affected by the incident to obtain and print their replacement cards before the deadline.

Reaffirming its readiness for the poll, the commission assured political parties, candidates and residents of Osun State that adequate preparations had been concluded to ensure a free, fair, credible and inclusive governorship election on August 15.

Meanwhile, INEC has approved an extension of the deadline for political parties to upload the names of their candidates for the 2027 governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections.

Haruna said the deadline, which was initially scheduled to expire on Saturday, August 8, 2026, has been extended to Tuesday, August 11, 2026, following requests by political parties seeking additional time to complete the nomination process.

The commission urged all political parties to take advantage of the extension to conclude the upload of their candidates’ details before the new deadline, stressing that no further extension would be granted after the expiration of the revised timeline.