The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced the commencement of the distribution of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) to eligible voters ahead of the 15 August 2026 governorship election in Osun State.
In a statement issued by the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Oluwatoyin Babalola, the commission said the exercise would enable individuals who registered, transferred their voter registration, updated their records during the recently concluded Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise, or applied for the replacement of lost or damaged PVCs to collect their cards.
According to INEC, PVC distribution at the Registration Area (RA) level will begin on 22 July and run until 28 July 2026 between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. daily, including weekends.
The commission said the exercise would subsequently continue at its local government area offices from 29 July to 7 August 2026 during the same hours.
Babalola urged eligible voters to collect their PVCs within the stipulated period, stressing that the card remained the only valid means of accreditation for voting in the governorship election.
She added that uncollected PVCs from previous voter registration exercises would also be available for collection, giving eligible voters another opportunity to retrieve their cards.
The REC, however, emphasised that PVC collection must be done in person, warning that collection by proxy is prohibited under the Electoral Act.
She reaffirmed INEC’s commitment to conducting a free, credible, inclusive and transparent election and advised members of the public seeking additional information to contact the commission’s Osun State office or visit the nearest local government area office.
Meanwhile, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), South-West Zone D, has threatened to shut down academic activities in tertiary institutions across Osun State ahead of the election, citing worsening insecurity and concerns over students’ safety.
In a statement signed by the zone’s Coordinator, Adeyemo Josiah Kayode, and Secretary-General, Ojetola Babatunde Yussuf, the association urged students to prepare to return home, saying it would not allow them to become “sacrificial lambs” in what it described as a desperate political contest.
NANS expressed concern over what it described as increasing incidents of political violence, shootings, intimidation and killings across the state, arguing that the prevailing security situation no longer guaranteed the safety of students or supported the smooth conduct of academic activities.
The association said reports of gunshots in communities surrounding some tertiary institutions, particularly at night, had heightened fears among students living on and off campus.
It also criticised the absence of a clearly communicated security plan to protect campuses, host communities, student residences and major transport routes during the election period.
Also yesterday, the Director-General of the Imole Campaign Council (TICC), Kamarudeen Olalere Oyewumi, called on INEC to prevent a recurrence of the alleged technical failures and operational challenges reported during the recent Federal Capital Territory (FCT) area council and Ekiti State governorship elections.
Speaking at a media briefing in Osogbo, Oyewumi said the council’s concerns were based on reports by accredited election observers, publicly available evidence, findings by its surveillance team and accounts from voters.
He alleged that the challenges included the deployment of insufficient ballot papers, inadequate Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) devices, the distribution of PVCs to suspected mercenary voters and the circulation of pre-thumbprinted ballot papers.
