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 over the weekend by the National Commissioner and Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna.
INEC said the decision would enable it to compile data on downloaded PVCs and prepare the final statistics of voters who collected their cards ahead of the election.
The commission also announced that voters who applied for replacement of lost, damaged or defaced PVCs have until midnight on Sunday, August 9, to print downloadable copies of their cards.
According to INEC, the deadline is necessary to allow it to compile the data of downloaded PVCs for the final statistics of PVCs collected in the state.
The commission recalled that PVC collection in Osun commenced at the Registration Area level on July 22 and was initially scheduled to end on July 28.
It said the exercise was extended to July 31 following complaints from voters over large crowds and difficulties encountered at collection centres.
The collection subsequently moved to the local government level and continued from August 1 to 7.
INEC further disclosed that replacement downloadable PVCs had been made available to voters in Odo-Otin and Ife Central Local Government Areas whose cards were allegedly carted away by hoodlums who invaded the two collection centres.
The commission, however, clarified that the stolen PVCs could not be used to vote, urging affected voters to obtain their replacement downloadable copies within the stipulated period.
INEC reiterated its readiness to conduct a free, fair, credible and inclusive governorship election in Osun State on August 15.
