The electoral commission moves the deadline to August 11 while ending physical PVC collection in Osun ahead of the August 15 governorship poll

The Independent National Electoral Commission has granted political parties a three-day extension to submit their candidates for the 2027 governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections, moving the deadline from Saturday, August 8, to Tuesday, August 11, 2026.

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The decision, announced by INEC on Saturday, August 8, followed requests from political parties for additional time to complete submissions through the commission’s dedicated online portal.

National Commissioner and Chairman of INEC’s Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna, said the extension was intended to accommodate parties still working to complete the nomination process.

“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,” INEC said.

The extension provides parties with a brief but significant additional window to upload the names and particulars of candidates for the 2027 governorship and state assembly contests.

INEC had earlier set the broader electoral timetable after releasing its Notice of Election and schedule for the 2027 general elections in February.

The commission initially fixed the governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections for March 6, 2027.

The timetable has since been subject to legal and administrative adjustments.

INEC Chairman Professor Joash Amupitan previously said court judgments had raised questions about some nomination and substitution timelines, prompting the commission to pursue appeals while maintaining the need for a coordinated electoral calendar.

The latest INEC candidate extension therefore offers political parties additional breathing room without altering the eventual 2027 polling date.

Alongside the national nomination development, INEC has also tightened the final arrangements for the Osun State governorship election scheduled for Saturday, August 15.

The commission announced the suspension of physical PVC collection in Osun after the collection exercise concluded at local government level on Friday, August 7.

However, voters who applied for replacement of lost, damaged or defaced Permanent Voter Cards have until midnight on Sunday, August 9, to print downloadable copies of their replacement cards.

INEC said the short window would enable the commission to compile data on downloaded cards and establish final statistics ahead of the election.

The PVC collection exercise began at Registration Area level on July 22 and initially ended on July 28.

INEC subsequently extended the exercise to July 31 following complaints about large crowds and difficulties at some collection centres.

The process then moved to local government offices from August 1 to 7.

The commission also disclosed that downloadable replacement PVCs had been made available to affected voters in Odo-Otin and Ife Central Local Government Areas following the theft of cards during attacks on two collection centres.

INEC stressed that the stolen cards cannot be used to cast ballots.

The clarification is significant as Osun enters the final days before voting, with political parties completing their last mobilisation efforts and voters preparing to choose the next governor.

INEC’s official election calendar confirms August 15, 2026, as the date for the Osun governorship election.

The commission has repeatedly emphasised the importance of maintaining an accurate voters’ register and strengthening the integrity of the electoral process.

Earlier this year, INEC announced plans for a nationwide voter revalidation exercise aimed at addressing concerns including duplicate registrations, deceased voters and inaccurate records.

The Osun preparations come against a politically competitive backdrop, with parties seeking to maximise turnout while INEC works to complete its logistical and administrative preparations.

The commission has reassured Osun residents that it remains prepared to conduct a free, fair, credible and inclusive election.

“The commission reiterates that the stolen cards cannot be used to vote,” INEC said, before reaffirming its readiness for the August 15 poll.

For political parties contesting the 2027 elections, the three-day INEC candidate extension may prove particularly valuable as they complete their online submissions.

For Osun voters, however, the more immediate deadline is Sunday night, when the window for downloading replacement PVCs closes.

The two developments underline the increasingly compressed nature of Nigeria’s electoral calendar, with INEC simultaneously managing preparations for an imminent governorship election in Osun and the much larger nomination process for the 2027 general elections.

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As both processes move forward, the commission faces the delicate task of balancing operational flexibility for political parties with firm deadlines needed to keep the wider electoral timetable on course.