Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun has warned residents not to sell their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) ahead of the August 15, 2026 governorship election. He said there are reports of opposition agents offering money to residents in exchange for their PVCs and extracting Personal Identification Numbers (PINs) to disenfranchise voters. The allegation was made in a statement issued on Thursday in Osogbo by his spokesperson, Malam Olawale Rasheed. Adeleke described the act as criminal and a violation of the Electoral Act. He accused opposition elements of running a coordinated operation to compromise the voter register and manipulate the election outcome.
The governor said intelligence reports from local government areas show that some individuals are being financially induced to surrender their PVCs, particularly in regions with strong support for his party. He urged citizens to protect their cards, stressing that PVCs are essential for exercising the right to vote. Adeleke called on the electoral body to investigate the claims and not ignore the possibility of insider collusion. "Opposition agents are extracting PINs on voter cards through monetary inducement, targeting areas with strong support for our party," he said. He emphasized that any link between PIN extraction and voting process manipulation is a serious issue.
Adeleke reiterated that the PVC remains a citizen's legal instrument for choosing leaders and participating in democracy. He said the state government is already investigating the matter and expects the electoral commission to take appropriate action. His statement underscores growing concerns about voter suppression tactics ahead of the 2026 election.
Adeleke claims opposition agents are buying PVCs and harvesting PINs to rig the 2026 election, yet offers no evidence of arrests or recovered cards. If the operation is widespread enough to threaten voter disenfranchisement, then thousands of Osun residents may already be at risk of losing their voting rights. The governor's warning relies on anonymous reports and unspecified investigations, leaving voters with fear but no verified facts.
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