Ayomide Awe
The Independent National Electoral Commission has disclosed that 1,906,390 Permanent Voter Cards have been collected by registered voters ahead of Saturday’s governorship election in Osun State.
The figure represents 81.50 per cent of the 2,339,233 registered voters in the state, according to the commission.
INEC also disclosed that 432,843 PVCs, representing 18.50 per cent of the registered voters, remained uncollected and had been deposited with the Central Bank of Nigeria.
The commission made this known on Friday in a statement issued by the Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna.
The disclosure came less than 24 hours before voters across the 30 local government areas of the state are expected to elect a governor for the next four years.
Haruna said the commission had also processed applications from voters whose PVCs were damaged, defaced or lost.
He disclosed that 6,101 applicants for replacement of their voter cards had printed downloadable copies of their PVCs.
He said INEC had published a polling-unit-by-polling-unit breakdown of the collected PVCs on its website to enhance transparency and enable stakeholders to access the figures.
The commission, however, did not indicate whether the uncollected cards would have any direct impact on the conduct of the election, noting that the cards had been secured at the CBN.
INEC also reaffirmed its readiness to conduct what it described as a free, fair, credible, transparent and inclusive election.
“The commission reassures political parties, civil society organisations, media, and the good people of Osun State of its total readiness to conduct a free, fair, credible, transparent, and inclusive election,” Haruna said.
The Saturday poll is expected to be keenly contested, with the incumbent governor and other major political contenders seeking the mandate of the electorate in a race that has attracted significant political attention.
The commission urged all stakeholders to support a peaceful electoral process and abide by the rules governing the election.
With more than 1.9 million PVCs collected, the commission’s latest figures indicate that the majority of registered voters who completed the collection process are eligible to participate in the election, subject to other electoral requirements.
The poll is scheduled for Saturday, August 15, 2026.
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