KEY POINTS

• INEC moved the 2027 candidate-submission deadline to August 11.
• Physical PVC collection has ended in Osun ahead of the August 15 election.
• Replacement PVC downloads remain available to affected voters until midnight August 9.

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has extended the deadline for political parties to submit the names of their candidates for the governorship and State House of Assembly elections scheduled for February 2027.

The electoral commission announced that the deadline, which was originally set for Saturday, August 8, has been extended to Tuesday, August 11, following appeals from political parties for additional time to complete their nomination and candidate-submission processes.

The extension is expected to give political parties more time to resolve outstanding issues and finalise the necessary documentation ahead of the 2027 electoral cycle.

INEC Grants Parties More Time to Submit Candidates

According to the commission, the decision to extend the deadline followed requests from political parties seeking additional time to conclude their internal processes and submit the names of candidates for the forthcoming governorship and State House of Assembly elections.

The new Tuesday, August 11 deadline provides parties with an additional three days to complete the process.

The development comes as political parties continue preparations for the 2027 elections, with candidate nomination and submission forming an important stage in the electoral timetable.

Meanwhile, INEC has announced the suspension of physical collection of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) in Osun State ahead of the state governorship election scheduled for August 15.

The commission said the decision followed the completion of the scheduled physical distribution and collection exercise across the state.

INEC explained that PVC collection commenced at the registration area level on July 22 and continued until July 31. The exercise was subsequently moved to the local government level from August 1 to August 7.

Despite the suspension of physical collection, INEC said voters who applied for replacement of lost, damaged or defaced PVCs could still obtain printable versions of their cards.

The commission gave affected voters until midnight on Sunday, August 9, to download their printable PVC copies.

INEC said the deadline would enable it to compile final statistics on the number of PVCs downloaded before the August 15 governorship election.