The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has confirmed that 1,906,390 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) have been collected by registered voters in Osun State ahead of the governorship election scheduled for August 15, 2026.
The figure represents 81.50 per cent of the 2,339,233 registered voters in the state, according to a statement released Thursday by Mohammed Haruna, the National Commissioner and Chairman of INEC’s Information and Voter Education Committee. The remaining 426,842 cards, accounting for 18.50 per cent, have not been collected.
Haruna said the uncollected PVCs have been safely deposited with the Central Bank of Nigeria in line with the commission’s established practice. “Out of the total of 2,339,233 registered voters in the state, 1,906,390 PVCs, representing 81.50 per cent, have been collected,” he stated. “The remaining 426,842 PVCs, representing 18.50 per cent, have been safely deposited with the Central Bank of Nigeria in line with the Commission’s established practice.”
The commission also disclosed that 6,101 voters who applied for replacement of damaged, defaced, or lost cards have printed downloadable copies of their PVCs. A detailed polling-unit-by-polling-unit breakdown of the collection figures has been published on INEC’s official website.
Haruna reassured political parties, civil society organisations, the media, and residents of Osun State of the commission’s readiness to conduct the election. The statement comes as part of INEC’s routine updates on election preparedness, with PVC collection rates often serving as a key indicator of voter engagement ahead of major polls.
Osun State, located in southwestern Nigeria, has a history of closely contested gubernatorial Elections. The commission’s early release of collection data is intended to promote transparency and encourage the remaining registered voters to retrieve their cards before the election date.
INEC has previously emphasised that only voters with valid PVCs will be accredited to vote, underscoring the importance of collection efforts in the weeks leading up to the poll. The deposit of uncollected cards with the Central Bank follows standard procedure to secure election materials until they can be distributed on election day or retrieved by voters at designated centres.
As the August 2026 election approaches, stakeholders will be monitoring voter mobilisation efforts and the commission’s logistical preparations, particularly in a state where electoral outcomes have often been decided by narrow margins.
