The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Osun State has officially kick-started preparations for the 2026 governorship election, with the posting of the official Notice of Election across its 30 local government offices and the Modakeke Area Office.
Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Dr. Mutiu Agboke, announced this today in Osogbo at an expanded stakeholders’ engagement, which brought together political parties, security agencies, religious leaders, civil society organisations, persons with disabilities, and the media.
He disclosed that the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise will begin nationwide on Monday, August 18, 2025, starting with online registration before physical biometrics capture from August 25, 2025 at INEC local government offices.
According to him, Osun currently has 1,954,800 registered voters, with 1,594,006 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) collected and 360,794 PVCs yet to be picked up.
He stressed the need for residents to collect their PVCs, warning that “No PVC, no voting.”
Dr. Agboke further outlined the 2026 election timetable:
Party primaries: November 24 to December 15, 2025
Submission of candidates’ particulars: January 15 to February 9, 2026
Election Day: August 8, 2026
He commended the cooperation of political actors in the state under Governor Ademola Adeleke’s administration, urging them to conduct peaceful primaries and avoid hate speech.
On inclusivity, the REC assured that INEC will provide braille ballot guides, magnifying glasses, assistive listening devices, and priority queues for persons with disabilities, pregnant women, and the elderly.
The Commission, he said, will deploy the INEC Voter Enrolment Device (IVED) for registration and the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) for the election to ensure transparency, fairness, and credibility.
Dr. Agboke appealed to youths and the public to shun violence, vote buying, fake news, and other malpractices, adding that only a peaceful environment can guarantee credible polls.
“In togetherness, we shall all achieve the desired outcome of our election. Your vote will count. We shall do the right thing at all times,” he assured.
