The Independent National Electoral Commission has confirmed that a significant majority of registered voters in Osun State are ready for the upcoming governorship race, with 1,906,390 Permanent Voter Cards now in the hands of their owners. This figure, unveiled on Thursday by Mohammed Haruna, the National Commissioner in charge of Information and Voter Education, accounts for 81.50 percent of the state’s 2,339,233 registered voters. That leaves 426,842 cards, or 18.50 percent, still waiting to be picked up.
Haruna was quick to reassure the public that those unclaimed cards are not gathering dust in a local office. Instead, they have been moved to a far more secure location: the Central Bank of Nigeria. “Out of the total of 2,339,233 registered voters in the state, 1,906,390 PVCs, representing 81.50 percent, have been collected,” he said. “The remaining 426,842 PVCs, representing 18.50 percent, have been safely deposited with the Central Bank of Nigeria in line with the Commission’s established practice.”
For those who have dealt with damaged, defaced, or lost cards, there is some relief. Haruna noted that 6,101 individuals who applied for replacements have already printed downloadable copies of their new cards, ensuring they won’t be left behind on election day.
Transparency appears to be a priority this time around. The commission has published a polling-unit-by-polling-unit breakdown of the collected PVCs on its official website, allowing anyone to verify the numbers down to the most local level.
With the election set for Saturday, August 15, 2026, Haruna sent a clear message to political parties, civil society groups, the media, and the residents of Osun State: INEC is ready. The commission, he stressed, is fully prepared to conduct a smooth and credible election when the time comes.
