Osun Guber poll: INEC raises concern as majority of voters yet to collect PVCs

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has revealed that 37.5 per cent of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) available for collection in Osun State have already been collected by eligible voters ahead of the state’s governorship election scheduled for August 15, 2026.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Osun State, Oluwatoyin Babalola, disclosed this during the Osun Citizens’ Town Hall Meeting held in Osogbo, the state capital.

The meeting brought together stakeholders, community leaders, civil society organisations and members of the public to discuss preparations for the upcoming election.

According to Babalola, a total of 192,702 PVCs have been collected so far, representing 37.5 per cent of the cards currently available for distribution. He described the turnout as encouraging but stressed that many registered voters are yet to collect their cards.

The REC appealed to all eligible voters who have not picked up their PVCs to take advantage of the ongoing collection exercise before the deadline. He noted that the Permanent Voter Card remains the only valid document that allows registered voters to participate in the election, adding that those without their PVCs will not be able to cast their votes on election day.

Babalola explained that the PVC distribution exercise began on July 22 across the state’s 332 Registration Areas and is expected to continue until July 28. After that phase, the exercise will move to all INEC Local Government Area offices across Osun State, where collection will continue from July 29 until August 7.

He added that the distribution exercise is being conducted daily, including Saturdays and Sundays, between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., to give voters enough time and opportunity to collect their cards.

The ongoing exercise covers individuals who registered during the recent Continuous Voter Registration (CVR), those who transferred their voter registration to another location, applicants who requested replacement of lost or damaged PVCs, and voters who updated or corrected their personal information.

Babalola also stated that uncollected PVCs from previous registration exercises have been made available to their rightful owners during the current distribution period. He encouraged those who did not collect their cards in the past to visit the designated collection centres before the exercise ends.

He urged political parties, civil society groups, traditional rulers, religious leaders and other stakeholders to continue educating residents on the importance of collecting their PVCs and participating peacefully in the electoral process.

The REC reassured the people of Osun State that INEC remains fully committed to conducting a free, fair, credible, transparent and inclusive governorship election.

He said the commission is working hard to ensure all eligible voters have the opportunity to exercise their democratic rights without intimidation or unnecessary obstacles.

The Osun State governorship election is scheduled to hold on August 15, 2026, with political parties intensifying campaigns as the state prepares to elect its next governor.

INEC has continued to call on voters to collect their PVCs early and avoid waiting until the final days of the distribution exercise.