Osun Poll: Outcry as APC-Linked OYES Scheme Demands PVC from Youth Applicants Days Before Election

 

By Abdulahi Musa 

A fresh controversy has erupted in Osun State after a recruitment and screening notice for the Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme (OYES) asked applicants to present their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) among the documents required for the exercise, just six days before the state’s governorship election.

The notice, which is branded with the logo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) alongside that of OYES, announces a screening exercise for applicants in Oriade Local Government Area.

According to the notice, the screening is scheduled to hold at the Ijebu-Ijesa Local Government Council Secretariat on Monday, August 10, 2026, and at the Ipetu-Ijesa LCDA Secretariat on Tuesday, August 11, 2026. Both exercises are scheduled to commence at 8:00 a.m. prompt.

However, the inclusion of a Permanent Voter Card (PVC) among the requirements has triggered reactions, particularly because the exercise is taking place less than a week before the August 15 Osun State governorship election.

The notice lists several documents applicants are expected to present, including photocopies of their credentials, National Identification Number (NIN), PVC, Local Government identification, educational qualifications such as O'Level, OND, HND or B.Sc., as well as bank account details.

The development has raised questions among residents and political observers over why a voter's card is being requested as part of the documentation for a youth empowerment programme, especially at such a politically sensitive period.

Critics may interpret the requirement as an attempt to obtain or verify voters' information ahead of the election, while supporters of the scheme could argue that the PVC is simply part of an identification or eligibility process.

The notice, however, does not publicly state why applicants are required to present their PVCs or whether possession of a PVC has any bearing on eligibility for the empowerment programme.

The development comes amid heightened political activities across Osun State as political parties intensify their campaigns and mobilisation ahead of the August 15 governorship poll.

The controversy is also likely to generate further scrutiny over the use of government empowerment programmes during election periods and the safeguards in place to ensure that such programmes are not used for political mobilisation.

As of the publication of this report, the organisers had not publicly provided an explanation for the inclusion of PVC among the screening requirements.