From Atiku Sarki, Abuja
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has extended the deadline for political parties to submit the list of candidates for the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections scheduled for the February 2027 General Election.
The Commission extended the deadline from Saturday, August 8, 2026, to Tuesday, August 11, 2026.
In a statement issued in Abuja, the National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, said the extension followed appeals by political parties for additional time to complete the submission process.
He said: “The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) wishes to inform political parties and the public that it has approved an extension of the deadline for the submission (upload on the dedicated portal) of the list of candidates for the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly Elections for the February 2027 General Election.”
In a related development, INEC informed voters who applied for replacement of lost, damaged or defaced Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) that the deadline for printing downloadable copies of their cards expired at midnight on Sunday, August 9, 2026.
According to the Commission, the measure would enable it to compile data on downloaded PVCs and determine the final statistics of total PVCs collected ahead of the August 15, 2026 Osun State Governorship Election.
It would be recalled that PVC collection in Osun State commenced at the Registration Area level from July 22 to 28, 2026.
Following complaints about large crowds and difficulties encountered by voters at collection centres, INEC extended the Registration Area-level collection period to July 31.
Collection subsequently moved to the Local Government Area level and ran from August 1 to 7, 2026.
The Commission also disclosed that replacement downloadable PVCs had 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 reiterated that the stolen cards could not be used to vote.
The Commission further reassured the people of Osun State of its preparedness to conduct a free, fair, credible and inclusive governorship election on August 15, 2026.
