By Peter Onyekachukwu 
By Peter Onyekachukwu
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has raised alarm over the large number of uncollected Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) in Osun State, just months before the 2026 governorship election.
Speaking in Osogbo on Wednesday at a media briefing with the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Osun State Correspondents’ Chapel, the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr Mutiu Agboke, revealed that 360,794 PVCs are yet to be collected.
According to him, Osun currently has 1,954,800 registered voters, and to expand voter participation, the commission will begin the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) from 25 August 2025.
Dr Agboke explained that the CVR exercise is aimed at registering new eligible voters, facilitating transfer of registration for voters who have changed locations, and replacing lost or damaged PVCs.
He called on the media and other stakeholders to support INEC in sensitising the public, especially ahead of the 2026 election. Dr Agboke said, “We implore the media to help mobilise people to come out and collect their PVCs. No PVC, no voting.”
Online registration will begin on 18 August 2025 via www.cvr.inecnigeria.org, and Dr Agboke issued a strong warning to INEC staff. He said, “Nobody should collect money from registrants. The exercise is free.”
On the use of technology, particularly the Bi-modal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), he clarified that the Supreme Court has not ruled against its usage. Dr Agboke said, “The court only reaffirmed the importance of the voter register as the foundation of all electoral processes.”
He added that the 2022 Electoral Act empowers INEC to use technology, which means the commission may even introduce new innovations by 2027 to improve elections.
Dr Agboke said, “Overvoting can occur without our knowledge, especially since BVAS operates offline. It only needs a network to upload data. We are committed to addressing this challenge with the support of stakeholders.”