Former presidential candidate of the Labour Party and current member of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Peter Obi, on Monday joined protesters at the National Assembly in Abuja under the banner “Occupy National Assembly,” calling for mandatory real-time electronic transmission of election results.
The protest follows the Senate’s passage of the Electoral Act 2022 (Repeal and Re-enactment) Amendment Bill 2026 through its third reading, during which lawmakers removed the phrase “real-time” from provisions on the electronic transmission of election results.
While the Senate has issued several clarifications amid claims that it rejected electronic transmission outright, protesters insist that the law must be explicit. They are demanding the clear inclusion of the phrase “real-time electronic transmission of election results” to eliminate ambiguity.
Speaking at the protest, Obi said lawmakers must act to prevent a repeat of the technical glitches reported by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) during the 2023 general elections.
According to him, making real-time electronic transmission mandatory would strengthen transparency and restore public confidence in the electoral process.
Members of civil society organisations, women’s groups, and a small number of opposition ADC members were also present at the protest.
The demonstrators began their march from the Federal Secretariat and proceeded to the National Assembly gate.
Security was tight around the area, with personnel from the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigerian Army, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps deployed. The police barricaded the main entrance to the National Assembly.
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