2027: INEC extends deadline for submission of governorship, assembly candidates lists

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 State Houses of Assembly elections for the February 2027 general election.

National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna, announced this in a statement on Sunday.

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, had been extended to Tuesday, 11th August, 2026.

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

In a related development, the Commission notified voters who applied for replacement of lost, damaged or defaced Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), that the window to print downloadable copies of their cards would expire by midnight of Sunday 9th August, 2026.

The statement noted the extension was 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.

The collection of PVCs in Osun state commenced at Registration Area (RA) level from 22nd to 28th July, 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 31st July, 2026, before collection moved to LGA level, running from 1st to 7th August, 2026.

The commission also stated that replacement downloadable PVCs had 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 15th August, 2026.