Former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi joined protesters at the National Assembly in Abuja to demand the approval of real-time electronic transmission of election results from polling units.
Supporters, including activist Aisha Yesufu, gathered on Monday at the entrance of the parliamentary complex to press lawmakers on the Electoral Amendment Bill under consideration.
Security personnel, including the police, the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps and other paramilitary units, deployed vans and stationed officers at strategic points around the National Assembly.
The protest included student and civil society groups, members of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the Obidient Movement, a group of Mr Obi’s supporters.
Obi addressed the gathering, saying, “Allow the elections to go through the normal process. Whoever wins, we would accept. So, why are you bringing this confusion?”
The protest follows the Senate’s decision on February 4 to pass the Electoral Act amendment bill after a five-hour clause-by-clause deliberation.
The amendments reduced the timeline for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to publish a notice of election from 360 days to 180 days.
The Senate also rejected real-time transmission of election results, retaining the electronic transfer provision from the 2022 Electoral Act.
The contested clause, 60(3) of the amendment bill, required presiding officers to electronically transmit results from each polling unit to the IREV portal in real-time after the
Form EC8A had been signed and stamped.
Form EC8A records votes at the polling units.
The amendment aimed to make electronic transmission compulsory and link it directly to IReV.
The Senate instead adopted section 60(5) of the 2022 Electoral Act, which allows the presiding officer to transfer results in a manner prescribed by INEC.
Following the decision, the Senate scheduled an emergency plenary sitting for February 10, as announced by Emmanuel Odo, clerk of the Senate, on the directive of Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has also threatened mass action in response to the development.
