From David Onuoja, Abuja
The Independent National Electoral Commission, has concluded the collection of Permanent Voters’ Cards in Ekiti State with 1,028,929 voters picking up their PVCs ahead of Saturday’s governorship election.
The figure which represents 97.1% of the 1,059,360 registered voters in the state, up from 958,052 cards collected in 2023 is a welcome development. INEC announced the completion on Wednesday, 17th June 2026, noting the slight increase in collection rate despite a larger voter register.
The commission had earlier suspended the platform Continuous Voter Registration on 15th May 2026 before cleaning up the voters’ list, which pushed registrations from 987,647 in 2023 to the current 1.06 million.
The PVC collection window, initially slated to end on 11th June, was extended to 14th June 2026 after stakeholders’ consultations in Ado-Ekiti. INEC said the extension helped drive the final push in collection across the state’s 16 local government areas. A detailed breakdown by LGA has been published on the commission’s website and social media platforms for public verification.
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INEC also processed all requests for replacement cards. Under Section 18(1) of the Electoral Act 2026, 14,406 voters who reported lost, damaged or defaced PVCs applied for replacements and all were printed, with most already collected. The commission said every eligible applicant, including those who requested transfers, had their cards made available before the deadline.
However, the much-anticipated downloadable version of voter cards could not be deployed for this election. INEC explained that the technology infrastructure required for the digital option is not yet complete. The commission confirmed the feature would be rolled out for the Osun Governorship election in August 2026 and fully operational for the 2027 General Election.
National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, commended traditional rulers, Community leaders, Civil Society groups, Political Parties and the Media for mobilizing voters. He said their support was critical to achieving the high collection rate in Ekiti.
With collection now closed, INEC urged all registered voters who have picked up their PVCs to turn out peacefully on 20th June for the poll; as it reassured Ekiti residents of its commitment to delivering a free, fair, credible and inclusive governorship election, with all printed cards ready for use at polling units.
