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A leading presidential aspirant of African Democratic Congress (ADC) Peter Obi, on Monday, joined protesters at the National Assembly complex in Abuja under the banner of the #OccupyNationalAssembly movement.
The protest follows the Senate’s passage of the Electoral Act 2022 (Repeal and Reenactment) Amendment Bill 2026, in which lawmakers removed the phrase “real-time” transmission of election results during the third reading of the bill.
Although the Senate has issued several clarifications denying that it rejected electronic transmission of election results, protesters insist that the proposed legislation must explicitly mandate real-time electronic transmission.
Speaking at the protest ground, Obi said the Senate must take concrete steps to prevent a repeat of the technical glitches reported by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) during the 2023 general elections.
He called for real-time electronic transmission of results to be clearly enshrined in the law.
Aside Obi, members of civil society organisations, opposition ADC supporters, and women’s groups were also present at the protest.
The protesters began their march from the Federal Secretariat, proceeding towards the National Assembly gate.
Security was heavy at the scene, with personnel drawn from the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigerian Army, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps. The police barricaded the entrance to the National Assembly.
Also at the complex are civil society organisations demanding a review of the Electoral Act ahead of the 2027 general election. the protesters do not intend to force entry into the complex, noting that the demonstration is planned to take place strictly at the gate. Tribune
Although, Senate President Godswill Akpabio claimed that e-transmission already exists in the 2022 Electoral Act, several stakeholders had called for a review for immediate uploads so everyone can see results immediately ballots are collated.
