— Commission records 97.1% collection rate as Moba leads with 99.8%, Ise/Orun lags at 91.0%
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that 1,028,929 Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) have been collected ahead of Saturday’s Ekiti State Governorship Election, representing a 97.1 per cent collection rate of the 1,059,360 registered voters. Only 30,431 PVCs remain uncollected across the state’s 16 local government areas .
In a press statement issued on Wednesday by Mohammed Kudu Haruna, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, the Commission disclosed that the number of registered voters rose from 987,647 in 2023 to 1,059,360 in 2026, following the suspension of the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise on 15th May and subsequent clean-up of the voters’ register .
The PVC collection exercise, originally scheduled to end on 11th June, was extended to 14th June after consultations with stakeholders in Ado-Ekiti .
LGA Breakdown: Moba tops, Ise/Orun lags
According to figures released by INEC, Moba Local Government recorded the highest PVC collection rate at 99.8 per cent, with 56,856 out of 56,968 registered voters collecting their cards, leaving only 112 unclaimed .
Ijero followed closely with 98.4 per cent, while Ikere posted 98.1 per cent. Ekiti East and Ekiti South West recorded 97.9 per cent and 97.6 per cent respectively .
Ado-Ekiti, the state capital and most populous voting area, recorded the highest number of registered voters at 189,432, with 183,259 PVCs collected and 6,173 unclaimed — the highest number of uncollected cards in the state .
At the lower end, Ise/Orun recorded the lowest collection percentage at 91.0 per cent, with 4,431 PVCs yet to be collected out of 49,183 registered voters .
Other LGAs posted strong collection rates above 96 per cent, including Efon (96.4%), Ekiti West (96.7%), Emure (96.8%), Ido/Osi (97.4%), and Oye (96.4%) .
Replacement cards and digital option
On the issue of replacement PVCs for lost, damaged, or defaced cards, INEC confirmed receiving 14,406 applications under Section 18(1) of the Electoral Act 2026, with all replacement cards printed and the majority already collected .
However, the Commission noted that the planned option of providing downloadable copies of voter cards could not be implemented for this election as the necessary technology infrastructure remains incomplete. The digital option is expected to be available for the Osun State Governorship Election in August 2026 and the 2027 General Election .
Political parties make final push
As campaigns enter their final days, 13 political parties have been cleared to contest the governorship poll, with the race largely narrowing to the incumbent Governor Biodun Oyebanji of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Wole Oluyede of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and Amb. Dare Bejide of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) .
The APC has anchored its campaign on continuity, highlighting achievements in infrastructure, healthcare, and agriculture, while the PDP focuses on economic issues, job creation, and industrial development . The ADC has positioned itself as a credible third force, targeting disenchanted voters .
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, has declared full operational readiness for the election, confirming that voters will cast ballots across 2,445 polling units in 177 wards, with the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) deployed as the sole means of voter accreditation .
The Commission has identified Ado-Ekiti, Effon, Ekiti South West, Ikere, Irepodun/Ifelodun, and Oye as potential flashpoints requiring enhanced security coverage .
INEC expressed appreciation to traditional rulers, community leaders, civil society organisations, political parties, and the media for mobilising citizens and urged all registered voters with PVCs to turn out peacefully on Election Day.
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