The countdown to the 2026 Osun State governorship election has formally begun, with Nigeria’s electoral commission announcing that online voter registration will open on 18 August and political party primaries are scheduled to start on 24 November.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) revealed the timeline during an expanded stakeholders’ forum in Osogbo, attended by political parties, civil society groups, security agencies, religious leaders and journalists.
Dr Mutiu Agboke, the state’s resident electoral commissioner, said the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise would begin with online pre-registration via INEC’s portal, followed by physical biometric capture at designated centres from 25 August.
“This exercise marks the official kick-off of activities leading to the 2026 Osun governorship election,” Dr Agboke said, confirming that notices of election had already been displayed in INEC offices across the state’s 30 local government areas.
Osun State currently has 1,954,809 registered voters, but INEC records show that 360,794 permanent voter cards (PVCs) remain uncollected. Dr Agboke urged eligible voters, particularly first-time registrants and those needing to update their details, to begin the process online before visiting registration centres for fingerprint and photograph capture.
The forum also served as an opportunity for stakeholders to discuss election preparedness. Security agencies pledged to ensure a peaceful process, political parties committed to following guidelines, and civil society groups emphasised voter education. Media and religious leaders highlighted their roles in promoting accurate information and harmony.
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