INEC Extends 2027 Candidate Deadline and Manages Osun PVCs

The Independent National Electoral Commission extended the deadline for political parties to submit candidate lists for the February 2027 governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections. Originally scheduled to close on August 8, 2026, the new deadline is Tuesday, August 11, 2026, following appeals from political parties for additional time.

Concurrent with the 2027 preparations, the commission managed logistics for the upcoming August 15 governorship election in Osun State. INEC announced that the window for voters to print downloadable replacement Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) expires at midnight on August 9, 2026, to allow for data compilation.

In response to security breaches, the commission provided replacement downloadable PVCs for voters in the Odo-Otin and Ife Central local government areas. These measures were taken after hoodlums stole cards from collection centers in those regions. The commission clarified that any of the stolen cards are invalid for voting.