- Adeleke urges registered voters to obtain cards ahead of August 15 governorship election
By John Dike, Osogbo
Osun State Government has declared Tuesday, July 28, 2026, a work-free day for public servants across the state to enable them collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) ahead of the August 15 governorship election.
The directive was approved by Governor Ademola Adeleke, according to a statement issued on Monday by his spokesperson, Mallam Olawale Rasheed.
The government said the arrangement would affect workers across the state public service, including local government employees and staff of tertiary institutions, among others.
The Head of Service, Elder Ayanleye Aina, conveyed the directive in a circular issued across the public service, explaining that the decision was intended to give public servants sufficient opportunity to perform their civic responsibility ahead of the forthcoming governorship election and future elections in the state.
The government urged all eligible public servants who are yet to collect their PVCs to use the opportunity to visit designated collection centres and obtain their cards.
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However, workers engaged in essential services, including medical personnel and security staff, are not expected to abandon their duties during the work-free day.
According to the directive, such workers are expected to make necessary arrangements among themselves to enable them exercise their civic rights without disrupting essential services or putting the lives and wellbeing of residents at risk.
The government said the arrangement was designed to strike a balance between the right of public servants to participate in the electoral process and the need to maintain uninterrupted essential services across the state.
Governor Adeleke, while urging public servants and other eligible voters in the informal sector to collect their PVCs without further delay, described the forthcoming election as critical to the future direction of the state.
He encouraged registered voters to take advantage of the collection window and ensure they are in possession of their voter cards ahead of the election.
“I encourage all registered voters to reach all the collection points without delay. Your vote is your power. Your voters card is your licence to the ballot paper and by extension to the ballot box,” the governor said.
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Adeleke stressed the importance of active participation in the democratic process, urging residents not to wait until the last minute before collecting their voter cards.
The directive comes as political activities intensify across Osun ahead of the August 15 governorship election, with political parties and their candidates stepping up campaigns and mobilisation efforts across the state’s 30 local government areas.
The PVC collection exercise is expected to play an important role in determining the level of voter participation in the election, as eligible citizens without their voter cards may face difficulties participating in the electoral process.
The state government reiterated that the work-free day was not limited to workers in the mainstream civil service, but extended to relevant categories of public servants, including local government staff and workers in tertiary institutions.
It also urged eligible voters to regard the collection of their PVCs as an important civic responsibility, particularly as the state prepares for a closely watched governorship election.
The government called on residents to take advantage of the opportunity and complete the collection process ahead of the deadline.
