2027: INEC extends deadline for submission of candidates names

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has approved an extension of the deadline for the submission (upload on the dedicated portal) of the list of candidates for the governorship and Houses of Assembly elections for the February 2027 general election.

National Commissioner and Chairman of Information and Voter Education Committee of INEC, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, revealed this.

In a statement he issued on Sunday, Haruna informed the public and political parties that the deadline, which according to the revised Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the General Election was originally scheduled to close on August 8, 2026, has been extended to August 11, 2026. 

He said the extension followed growing appeals by political parties for additional time to complete the process. 

In a related development, the Commission also notified voters who applied for replacement of lost, damaged, or defaced PVCs, that the window to print downloadable copies of their cards will expire by midnight of August 9, 2026. 

Haruna said: “This is to allow the Commission compile the data of downloaded PVCs for final statistics of total PVCs collected ahead of the August 15th Osun Governorship Election.”

It will be recalled that collection of PVCs in Osun State took place at Registration Area (RA) level from July 22 to 28, 2026. 

Owing to complaints of large crowds and difficulties encountered by voters at collection centres, the Commission approved an extension of RA-level collection to July 31, 2026, before collection moved to LGA level, running from August 1 to 7, 2026.

The Commission also stated that replacement Downloadable PVCs have been made available to voters in Odo-Otin and Ife Central local government areas whose cards were carted away by hoodlums who invaded the two centres. 

The Commission reiterated that the stolen cards cannot be used to vote.

INEC reassured the people of Osun State of its readiness to conduct a free, fair, credible, and inclusive governorship election on August 15, 2026.

𝕤𝕖𝕖 𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕖/𝕨𝕒𝕥𝕔𝕙 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕧𝕚𝕕𝕖𝕠 𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕖