The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has extended the deadline for political parties to submit their lists of candidates for the governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections scheduled for the February 2027 General Election.

INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, announced the extension in a statement issued on Saturday night.

According to Haruna, the decision followed appeals from political parties for additional time to complete the submission process.

The submission window, which was originally scheduled to close on Saturday, August 8, 2026, in line with INEC’s revised Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2027 General Election, has now been extended to Tuesday, August 11, 2026.

In a related development, INEC has reminded voters who applied for the replacement of lost, damaged or defaced Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) that the deadline for printing downloadable copies of their replacement cards is midnight on Sunday, August 9, 2026.

The commission explained that the extension was necessary to enable it to compile data on downloaded PVCs and determine the final statistics for the total number of PVCs collected ahead of the August 15, 2026, Osun State governorship election.

PVC collection in Osun State began at the Registration Area (RA) level from July 22 to 28, 2026. However, following complaints about large crowds and difficulties encountered by voters at collection centres, INEC extended the RA-level collection period to July 31.

Collection subsequently moved to the local government area level, where it ran from August 1 to 7, 2026.

Haruna also disclosed that replacement downloadable PVCs had been made available to voters in Odo-Otin and Ife Central Local Government Areas whose cards were reportedly carted away by hoodlums who invaded the two collection centres.

The commission reiterated that the stolen PVCs cannot be used to vote.

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