February 09, (THEWILL) – Hundreds of pro-democracy activists, led by former Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate Peter Obi, converged on the National Assembly Complex in Abuja on Monday, to protest the Senate’s recent amendment of the Electoral Act, particularly the removal of the phrase “real-time” from provisions on the electronic transmission of election results.
The demonstration, organised under the banner of the Obidient Movement and allied civil society groups, drew prominent figures including social activist Aisha Yesufu, energising protesters demanding enhanced transparency and credibility in the lead-up to the 2027 general elections.
Tagged Occupy the National Assembly, the protest followed last week’s passage of the Electoral Act 2022 (Repeal and Re-enactment) Amendment Bill, 2026, by the Senate.
At the centre of the controversy is Section 60 of the amended bill, which governs the transmission of election results. The Senate had rejected a recommendation from the Committee on Electoral Matters that sought to compel presiding officers to upload polling unit results to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) Result Viewing (IReV) portal in real time. Instead, lawmakers retained the provisions of the 2022 Electoral Act, which allow electronic transmission only after votes have been counted and publicly announced at polling units.
Critics argue that the amendment could weaken transparency, credibility, and public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral process. Although the Senate maintains that it did not eliminate electronic transmission entirely, demonstrators warned that the altered wording creates loopholes that could facilitate post-election manipulation.
Marching from the Federal Secretariat to the National Assembly, protesters chanted slogans such as “Our votes must count”, “No to electoral robbery”, and “Protect democracy now.” Their advance was blocked by a heavy security presence, including personnel from the Nigeria Police Force, Nigerian Army, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, forcing the rally to take place outside the National Assembly gates.
Addressing journalists at the protest site, Obi decried what he described as the systematic dismantling of democratic gains in Nigeria. “We must dismantle this criminality and prove that we are now a nation that shows light in Africa,” he said, stressing that credible elections are indispensable to national stability and progress.
Also speaking, Dr Yunusa Tanko, National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement Worldwide, vowed that protests would continue until lawmakers reinstated real-time electronic transmission in the amended law. “If there is no electronic transmission of results, there will be no election. Our elections must be credible”, he declared.
Tanko recalled that manual collation had historically facilitated manipulation, noting that reforms such as electronic transmission, card readers, and the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) were introduced to curb such malpractices following flawed elections in 2007, 2011, and 2015.
Activist Randy Peters condemned the political elite for abandoning democratic ideals and pledged sustained resistance. “Tomorrow, we will be back here until the Senate does the right thing. The current administration supported the June 12campaign. It was about free and fair elections”, Peters stated, invoking the June 12, 1993 election as a benchmark for credible voting.
The protesters maintained that their campaign is not partisan but a fight for the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral system, insisting that real-time electronic transmission is critical to restoring public trust and safeguarding the democratic process ahead of the 2027 polls.
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