The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has approved the extension of deadline for the submission of the list of candidates for the Governorship and Houses of Assembly Elections for the February 2027 General Election.
This is even as the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, disclosed that it has completed the electronic upload of its candidates for all elective positions for the 202or7 general elections.
The National Chairman of the party, Prof Nentawe Yilwatda, on Sunday described the early completion of the exercise as evidence of the APC’s organisational strength, internal coordination and preparedness for the elections.
Yilwatda said the APC had concluded its submissions before the original deadline, covering candidates for positions from the State Houses of Assembly to the presidential election.
He said the achievement demonstrated that the party had moved beyond political slogans to building the structures and systems required to run a nationwide political organisation.
INEC on its part in a statement by its National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, said the extension follows growing appeals by political parties for additional time to complete the process.
Haruna said the submission window, which according to the revised Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the General Election was originally scheduled to close, Saturday, 8th August, 2026, has been extended to Tuesday, 11th August, 2026.
The statement also notified Osun 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 Sunday 9th August, 2026.
According to Haruna, this is to allow the Commission to compile the data of downloaded PVCs for final statistics of total PVCs collected ahead of the August 15th Osun Governorship Election.
It would be recalled that collection of PVCs in Osun State commenced at Registration Area, RA, level from 22nd to 28th July, 2026.
INEC added that owing to complaints of large crowds and difficulties encountered by voters at collection centres, the Commission approved an extension of RA-level collection to 31st July, 2026, before collection moved to LGA level, running from 1st to 7th August, 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.
It reassured the people of Osun State of its readiness to conduct a free, fair, credible and inclusive governorship election on 15th August, 2026.
It would be recalled that in July, the commission announced that the submission deadline, which had expired on Saturday, July 11, has been moved by three days to midnight on Tuesday, July 14, 2026.
INEC had previously maintained that the deadline would remain unchanged despite concerns raised by several political parties over technical challenges encountered while uploading candidates’ details through its nomination portal.
