Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke has declared Tuesday, July 28, 2026, a work-free day for public servants across the state to give workers time to collect their Permanent Voter Cards ahead of the August governorship election.
The directive covers state and local government workers as well as employees of tertiary institutions, according to a circular issued by the Head of Service, Ayanleye Aina. The decision was also confirmed in a statement by the governor’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed.
The government said the one-day break is intended to allow workers to complete their PVC collection and prepare to take part in the August 15 governorship election.
Workers providing essential services, including health and security personnel, are expected to make internal arrangements to ensure that public services are not disrupted during the work-free day.
Adeleke Urges Voters to Collect PVCs
Adeleke also called on registered voters who have not picked up their cards to take advantage of the ongoing collection exercise.
He stressed that possession of a PVC is necessary for eligible voters who intend to participate in the election.
INEC began distributing PVCs at registration areas across Osun on July 22, with that phase scheduled to run through July 28. Collection is expected to move to INEC local government offices from July 29 to August 7, including weekends.
The exercise covers people who registered during the recent Continuous Voter Registration, transferred their registration, replaced lost or damaged cards or updated their voter information.
Osun Heads to Polls August 15
INEC has scheduled the Osun governorship election for Saturday, August 15, 2026. The commission has also begun preparations for election officials and observer groups ahead of the poll.
Adeleke, now running on the platform of Accord, is seeking a second term. His major challengers include Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress and Najeem Salaam of the African Democratic Congress.
With less than three weeks until voting, the push for PVC collection has become an important part of the final preparations for the election.
For Osun workers who are yet to collect their cards, Tuesday’s work-free day gives them a dedicated opportunity to do so before the collection window closes.