OYSIEC Chairman, Dr. Afees Adeniyi, announced the extension in a statement issued on Monday and made available to journalists in Ibadan.

According to the statement, the decision followed a request by the Oyo State chapter of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), which sought additional time to enable political parties complete the administrative and statutory processes required for the successful conduct of their primary elections.

The commission noted that IPAC, in a letter signed by its Secretary, Hon. Dairo Olayinka, requested a one-week extension, stressing that the additional time would allow participating political parties to properly organise their structures and documentation, thereby promoting a more credible, inclusive, and transparent electoral process.

Dr. Adeniyi explained that OYSIEC approved a nine-day extension after considering the request, saying the decision was aimed at accommodating all registered political parties in the state that have indicated interest in participating in the local government elections scheduled for December 29, 2026.

He stated that the initial deadline for the conduct of party primaries was Monday, July 27, 2026, while the new timeline will run from Tuesday, July 28, 2026, to Wednesday, August 5, 2026.

The OYSIEC chairman clarified that all other dates and activities contained in the commission’s revised election timetable and guidelines remain unchanged.

He urged all affected political parties to take advantage of the extension by conducting their primary elections within the stipulated period and forwarding the names of their successful candidates to the commission as required.

Dr. Adeniyi also commended political parties for their continued cooperation with the commission and appealed to them to strictly adhere to the electoral guidelines during the conduct of their primaries.

“The commission received a letter from the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) requesting an extension of the date scheduled for the conduct of the local government chairmanship and councillorship primary elections by political parties in Oyo State.

“The council requested a one-week extension. The commission deliberated on the request and graciously approved a nine-day extension to ensure that all interested political parties are adequately accommodated in the electoral process,” the statement read.