The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced the successful conclusion of the Permanent Voters’ Cards collection exercise in Ekiti State, revealing that over one million eligible voters have claimed their cards ahead of the upcoming governorship election.
The figure signals immense grassroots preparation across the state’s sixteen local government areas ahead of the high-stakes off-cycle poll scheduled for Saturday, 20th June 2026.
According to a press release issued by INEC, the number of claimed cards reached a historic milestone of 1,028,929, representing an exceptional 97.1 per cent collection rate of total registered voters.
This performance indicates a growth in the state’s voting population compared to the 2023 electoral cycle, where the register stood at 987,647 voters with 958,052 claimed cards. The final distribution push was strengthened by a temporary collection extension approved by the commission after extensive consultations with local stakeholders in Ado-Ekiti.
Official data tracking the breakdown across all administrative divisions, shows that Moba Local Government Area recorded the highest internal collection efficiency at 99.8 per cent, leaving a minor pocket of only 112 uncollected cards.
The state capital, Ado Ekiti, features the largest absolute pool of prepared voters, securing 183,259 collected cards against 6,173 unclaimed. Ise/Orun Local Government Area finished at the bottom of the state performance window with a 91.0 per cent collection rate, leaving 4,431 cards uncollected.
Across the entire state, only 30,431 cards remain uncollected.
The statement signed by National Commissioner Mohammed Kudu Haruna confirmed that all requested replacement cards for lost, damaged, or defaced profiles under the Electoral Act 2026 were successfully processed and made available.
However, plans to introduce a downloadable copy system for missing voter cards had to be deferred to future cycles, including the upcoming August 2026 Osun Governorship election, due to ongoing technical infrastructure upgrades.