—–Urged the Senate to learn from the challenges recorded during the 2023 general elections.
Former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, on Monday joined protesters at the National Assembly in Abuja to oppose the Senate’s decision to remove the phrase “real-time” electronic transmission of election results from the proposed Electoral Act amendment.
The protest, tagged Occupy National Assembly, follows the Senate’s passage of the Electoral Act 2022 (Repeal and Reenactment) Amendment Bill 2026 through third reading, a move that has sparked concerns among civil society groups and opposition figures about the credibility of future elections.
Although lawmakers have issued several clarifications, insisting that electronic transmission of results has not been scrapped, demonstrators argue that the law must clearly mandate real-time transmission to prevent manipulation and technical failures.
Speaking at the protest ground, Obi, now a member of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) emphasized that the kind of glitches INEC reported in 2023 must not be allowed to repeat itself.
“Real-time electronic transmission of results should be clearly stated and made compulsory in our electoral laws,” Obi said.
The protest attracted members of various civil society organisations, women’s groups, and supporters of the ADC, who marched from the Federal Secretariat towards the National Assembly gate while chanting solidarity songs and carrying placards demanding transparent elections.
Security was tightened around the National Assembly complex, with officers from the Nigeria Police Force, Nigerian Army, and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps deployed to maintain order. The main entrance to the complex was barricaded to prevent protesters from gaining access.
Some demonstrators stated that the protest was intended to remain peaceful and would be conducted mainly at the gate of the National Assembly, stressing that there was no plan to force entry into the premises.
As of the time of filing this report, the protest was ongoing, with calls growing louder for lawmakers to amend the bill to explicitly include real-time electronic transmission of election results as a safeguard for Nigeria’s democracy.