—— Say leaders should always stand at the forefront of major civic actions with their families to show commitment.
Former Rivers State Governor and ex-Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, on Tuesday joined protesters in Abuja opposing the Senate’s rejection of mandatory electronic transmission of election results.
The demonstration, which began on Monday, is targeted at the National Assembly’s decision to discard real-time electronic transmission in the ongoing amendment of the Electoral Act, a move many Nigerians and civil society groups fear could undermine transparency in future elections.
Amaechi arrived at the protest ground alongside his son, a medical doctor, explaining that he brought him along in case the protest turned violent and medical attention was needed.
According to the former governor, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is resisting electronic transmission because it fears losing elections.
“I believe all opposition parties should be on the streets PDP, ADC, everybody to protest against the attempt of one party to control the system,” Amaechi said. “What is APC afraid of? If you are confident of your popularity, why oppose transparency?”
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) also issued a call for nationwide protests, urging Nigerians and opposition parties to rise against what it described as an assault on democratic credibility.
Amaechi further warned that while Senate President Godswill Akpabio and President Bola Tinubu might ignore public outcry, opposition parties and civil society organisations would continue to apply pressure until the decision is reversed.
Meanwhile, security presence was heightened around the National Assembly complex, with operatives of the Nigeria Police Force barricading major access roads ahead of an emergency plenary session of the Senate.
The protest is being coordinated by human rights activist Aisha Yusuf in collaboration with several civil society groups who insist that electronic transmission of results remains vital for free, fair, and credible elections in Nigeria.
As the standoff continues, many observers say the growing momentum of the protests could force lawmakers to reconsider the controversial amendment in the interest of democratic transparency.