The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has commenced the distribution of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) to eligible voters ahead of the August 15, 2026, governorship election in Osun State.
In a statement issued on Monday, the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Osun, Oluwatoyin Babalola, said the exercise is for voters who registered, transferred their registration, applied for replacement of lost or damaged PVCs, or updated their records during the recent Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise.
According to INEC, PVC collection at the Registration Area (RA) level will take place from July 22 to July 28, while collection at Local Government Area offices will run from July 29 to August 7, between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. daily, including weekends.
Babalola urged eligible voters to collect their PVCs within the stipulated period.
“The Permanent Voter Card remains the only valid means of accreditation for participation in the governorship election,” she said.
Meanwhile, the Imole Campaign Council (TICC), the campaign organisation of Governor Ademola Adeleke, has called on INEC to strengthen safeguards ahead of the election, citing alleged irregularities observed in recent off-cycle polls.
Addressing journalists in Osogbo, the council’s Director-General, Senator Kamarudeen Oyewumi, said concerns were based on reports from election observers, the council’s surveillance team and feedback from voters.
The council alleged issues including insufficient ballot papers and sensitive materials, concerns over PVC distribution, alleged thumb-printed ballot papers, technical challenges with the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), and reports of voting without PVCs.
It also urged INEC to deploy additional BVAS machines and election officials to polling units with large voter populations to reduce delays and voter disenfranchisement.
The campaign council further called on INEC and security agencies to investigate allegations by some All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders regarding the alleged preloading of BVAS machines and printing of extra result sheets ahead of the poll.
On the campaign trail, APC National Secretary, Ajibola Basiru, assured residents of Ila that the party’s governorship candidate, Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji (AMBO), would prioritise workers’ welfare, agriculture, education, healthcare and security if elected.
Basiru said increased federal allocations to states provide an opportunity for Osun to accelerate development under an APC administration.
He also pledged improved welfare for civil servants and greater support for farmers, saying the party’s candidate would create opportunities to boost agricultural production and expand market access for farmers’
