Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke has declared today, 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 applies to all categories of state public servants, including local government employees and staff of state-owned tertiary institutions. The move is intended to give eligible workers enough time to visit designated collection centres and obtain their voter cards before the election.
The decision was announced yesterday in a statement issued by the Governor’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed. According to the statement, the approval was conveyed to the state public service through a circular signed by the Head of Service, Ayanleye Aina.
Aina explained that the work-free day was approved to encourage public servants to fulfil their civic responsibility by collecting their PVCs, which are required for participation in the forthcoming governorship election and future electoral exercises.
The directive, however, does not apply to workers providing essential services. Healthcare personnel, security agencies and other critical service providers have been asked to make appropriate internal arrangements to ensure their services continue without disruption while allowing eligible staff to collect their voter cards.
Governor Adeleke also appealed to every registered voter who has not yet collected a PVC to do so without delay, stressing that active participation in elections remains essential to strengthening democracy and determining the future of the state.
“I encourage all registered voters to visit the designated collection centres without delay. Your vote is your power. Your voter card is your access to the ballot paper and, by extension, the ballot box,” the governor said.
With political activities gathering momentum ahead of the August 15 governorship election, the state government believes the work-free day will remove one of the major challenges preventing many civil servants from collecting their voter cards during regular working hours.
The administration said the initiative reflects its commitment to promoting wider voter participation and ensuring that eligible citizens are fully prepared to exercise their constitutional right on election day.
The Permanent Voter Card remains the only officially recognised means of voter accreditation by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Without a valid PVC, registered voters will not be able to cast their ballots.
As residents across Osun State prepare for the governorship election, today’s work-free day provides another opportunity for public servants who have yet to collect their PVCs to complete the process and take part in shaping the state’s future through the ballot.
