Protesters gathered at the National Assembly in Abuja on Monday demanding the restoration of mandatory electronic transmission of election results in the proposed Electoral Act Amendment Bill.
The demonstrators, made up of civic groups and concerned citizens, said the removal of the clause by the Senate raises concerns about transparency and public trust ahead of the 2027 general elections. Some protesters arrived prepared for a prolonged sit-in, carrying personal supplies as they called for urgent legislative action.
Among those reportedly present were political figures and activists, including Peter Obi, Randy Peters of Peter for Nigeria, and Aisha Yesufu, alongside other civic voices.
Their position received backing from senior lawyer and former NBA President, Dr Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), who, in a separate statement, argued that electronic transmission must be clearly embedded in the Electoral Act to avoid a repeat of past legal disputes over election results.
Agbakoba noted that the Supreme Court’s interpretation after the 2023 elections showed that innovations such as INEC’s IReV portal lacked binding legal force because they were not expressly provided for in the Electoral Act.
“Without explicit statutory provision, electronic transmission remains optional and legally inconsequential, no matter how transparent it appears,” Agbakoba stated.
He argued that this legal gap creates serious evidentiary challenges during election petitions, making it practically impossible to verify results across thousands of polling units within legal timelines.
Drawing parallels with the widely acclaimed June 12, 1993 election, Agbakoba said transparency at polling units was the foundation of public confidence then, adding that modern technology can now strengthen that transparency if properly backed by law.
“The National Assembly has an opportunity to close this legal loophole before 2027 and restore confidence in Nigeria’s electoral process,” he said.
Protesters at the National Assembly echoed similar concerns, insisting that electronic transmission from polling units to collation centres is a necessary safeguard for credible elections.
As of press time, there had been no official response from the leadership of the National Assembly regarding the protest or Agbakoba’s position.
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