INEC Says Only 1,906,390 Eligible Voters for Osun 2026 Election
With the Osun governorship election just 24 hours away, the Independent National Electoral Commission confirmed that 1,906,390 voters had collected their Permanent Voter Cards and are therefore...
With the Osun governorship election just 24 hours away, the Independent National Electoral Commission confirmed that 1,906,390 voters had collected their Permanent Voter Cards and are therefore eligible to vote.
In a statement on Thursday, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna, said the figure was based on Osun State’s 2,339,233 registered voters.
Of Osun State’s 2,339,233 registered voters, 1,906,390, or 81.50 percent, have collected their PVCs. The remaining 426,842 PVCs, representing 18.50 percent, have been safely deposited with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), in line with the Commission’s standard practice.
“Similarly, it should be noted that some persons with damaged, defaced, or lost PVCs applied for replacement of their cards. A total of 6,101 among those who applied for printed downloadable copies of their PVCs,” INEC said, noting that a table of the PVCs collected, Polling Unit by Polling Unit (PU), has been published on its website.
INEC reassured political parties, civil society organisations, the media, and the good people of Osun State of its total readiness to conduct a free, fair, credible, transparent, and inclusive election on Saturday, 15th August 2026.
Sensitive election materials for Saturday’s Osun State governorship election have arrived at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) facility in Osogbo and are now being distributed to local government areas under tight security.
INEC was able to overcome the initial delay in the distribution of ballot papers caused by a late Federal High Court ruling ordering the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to include the Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate, Dr. Francis Olugbenga Ajala, on the ballot.
A Federal High Court order required INEC to immediately accept and publish Dr. Francis Olugbenga Ajala as the official SDP flagbearer.
This occurred after ballot papers and result sheets had already been printed for the initial 14 political parties; INEC had to halt operations and reprint all voting materials to include the SDP, bringing the total number of contesting parties to 15.
The newly reproduced ballot papers and result sheets successfully arrived in Osun State on Thursday, August 13, 2026.
Under the supervision of the Osun Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mrs Oluwatoyin Babalola, INEC began moving the sensitive materials from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) premises in Osogbo to all 30 Local Government Areas (LGAs) late Thursday night.
Election observer group Yiaga Africa raised alarms that the delayed arrival disrupted original daytime logistics. They warned that moving sensitive materials at night creates severe security risks in a tense environment and urged security agencies to provide extra protection.
Meanwhile, groups such as the Kimpat Development Initiative welcomed the swift reprinting and arrival of the materials, expressing hope that INEC’s sorting process would prevent delays at polling units.
Participating political parties have intensified efforts to educate their agents to be vigilant and ensure that only ballot papers listing the SDP are allowed at the polling units.
To ease movement and ensure a smooth voting process, Governor Ademola Adeleke declared Friday, August 14, 2026, a work-free day in Osun State.
No Comment! Be the first one.