The Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC) has extended the deadline for political party primaries ahead of the local government elections to August 5, 2026.

The OYSIEC chairman, Afees Adeniyi, in a statement on Monday, said the extension followed a formal request from the leadership of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) in Oyo.

‘’IPAC, in a letter signed by its Secretary, Mr Dairo Olayinka, requested a one-week extension.

‘’He says it is to enable political parties complete the necessary administrative and statutory processes required for credible primaries,’’ Mr Adeniyi said.

He explained that the commission granted a nine-day extension after deliberating on IPAC’s request.

He noted that the new window for the conduct of primaries would now run from July 28 to August 5.

“The initial deadline for political parties to conclude their chairmanship and councillorship primaries was Monday, July 27, 2026.

‘’With the adjustment, parties now have additional time to finalise their internal processes,” he said.

The chairman said the decision was necessary to accommodate all registered political parties that had indicated interest in the Dec. 29, 2026, local government council elections.

The elections, he said, would be conducted across the 33 local government areas and 351 wards in the state.

Mr Adeniyi said that IPAC had argued that the extension would provide political parties with adequate time to put their structures and documentation in order.

“The council notes that this will ensure a more credible, inclusive and transparent electoral process at the grassroots level,” he said.

Mr Adeniyi stressed that all other dates and activities contained in the revised election timetable and guidelines remained valid.

He urged political parties to take advantage of the extension and submit the names of their successful candidates to the commission in due course.

The OYSIEC boss also commended political parties for their continuous support and cooperation with the commission.

He urged them to strictly adhere to the election guidelines recently released for the conduct of their primary elections.

(NAN)