Odimmegwa Johnpeter/Abuja
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced the successful conclusion of the Permanent Voters’ Card (PVC) collection exercise ahead of the Ekiti State Governorship Election scheduled for Saturday, June 20, 2026.
INEC disclosed that the number of registered voters in the state increased from 987,647 in 2023 to 1,059,360 in 2026 following the suspension of the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise on May 15 and the subsequent clean-up of the voters’ register.
In a statement issued by the National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, the Commission revealed that 1,028,929 PVCs have been collected, representing 97.1 per cent of registered voters. This marks a slight increase from the 958,052 PVCs collected in 2023, which represented a 97.0 per cent collection rate.
The Commission noted that the PVC collection exercise, initially scheduled to end on June 11, was extended to June 14 following consultations with stakeholders in Ado-Ekiti.
INEC also disclosed that it received 14,406 applications for the replacement of lost, damaged, or defaced PVCs in line with the Electoral Act 2026. According to the Commission, all replacement cards were printed, with most of them already collected by their owners.
The electoral body explained that plans to introduce downloadable replacement voter cards could not be implemented for the Ekiti election because the required technology infrastructure is still being completed. However, the innovation is expected to be available for the Osun State Governorship Election in August 2026 and the 2027 General Election.
INEC commended traditional rulers, community leaders, civil society organisations, political parties, and the media for supporting voter mobilisation efforts across the state.
The Commission assured residents of Ekiti State that all PVCs for eligible applicants, including those who applied for transfers and replacements, were printed and made available for collection.
As preparations for the election enter the final stage, INEC urged all eligible voters who have collected their PVCs to turn out peacefully on election day and exercise their democratic rights, while reaffirming its commitment to conducting a free, fair, credible and inclusive governorship election.
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