Breaking: INEC Rocks 2027 Race, Extends Candidate Submission Deadline!

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced an extension for the deadline for political parties to submit the list of their candidates for the 2027 Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections. Initially set to conclude on Saturday, August 8, 2026, the deadline has now been moved to Tuesday, August 11, 2026. This extension was granted following numerous appeals from various political parties, who requested additional time to finalize and upload their candidates’ lists onto the dedicated portal provided by the Commission. The crucial announcement was made on Saturday by Mohammed Kudu Haruna, the National Commissioner and Chairman of INEC’s Information and Voter Education Committee, in an official statement.

In a related but separate development, INEC also provided an update regarding the forthcoming Osun State governorship election. The Commission specified that the window for voters who had applied for replacements of lost, damaged, or defaced Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) to print downloadable copies of their cards would officially close by midnight on Sunday, August 9, 2026. This strict deadline is intended to allow INEC sufficient time to compile comprehensive data on all downloaded PVCs. This data compilation is critical for determining the final statistics of total PVCs collected across the state, a necessary step ahead of the Osun governorship election scheduled for August 15, 2026.

Recalling the process of PVC collection in Osun State, INEC highlighted that the initial phase of collection at the Registration Area level commenced from July 22 to 28, 2026. Due to significant complaints concerning large crowds and difficulties experienced by voters at these collection centres, the Commission approved a short extension, moving the Registration Area-level collection deadline to July 31, 2026. Following this, PVC collection subsequently transitioned to the Local Government Area level, where it continued uninterrupted from August 1 to 7, 2026, ensuring that voters had ample opportunity to retrieve their cards.

Furthermore, INEC addressed a specific challenge faced in Odo-Otin and Ife Central Local Government Areas. The electoral body confirmed that replacement downloadable PVCs had been made available to voters in these areas whose original cards were unfortunately carted away by hoodlums who invaded two collection centres. Importantly, INEC vehemently stressed that these stolen cards could not, under any circumstances, be used to vote, thereby mitigating any potential electoral fraud. Concluding its announcements, the Independent National Electoral Commission reiterated its unwavering commitment to the people of Osun State, assuring them of its readiness and determination to conduct a free, fair, credible, and inclusive governorship election on August 15, 2026.