Dare Babalola
Protesters converged on the National Assembly again on Monday, pressing for the inclusion of real-time electronic transmission of election results in the 2026 Electoral Act Amendment Bill.
Demonstrators, comprising civil society groups such as Situation Room and Action Aid, demanded the complete scrapping of manual collation, citing concerns over potential result manipulation.
The protest resumed at the National Assembly after a five-day break following assurances from lawmakers at the previous Tuesday’s sitting.
Security personnel reportedly blocked the National Assembly complex entrances, prompting protesters to stage their demonstration outside the gates.
The protesters demanded full transparency and insisted on mandatory real-time electronic transmission of results, arguing that manual backups are unjustifiable given the existing technological budget for elections.
Recall the Senate reconvened for an emergency plenary last Tuesday to revisit its earlier decision on Clause 60(3) of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill. Senate Chief Whip, Senator Tahir Monguno (APC, Borno North), moved to remove the phrase “real-time” and replaced “transmission” with “transfer.”
This move sparked strong opposition from several senators, including Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe (APGA, Abia South), who repeatedly raised points of order.
The Senate ultimately approved electronic transmission of results to INEC’s Result Viewing Portal, but voted to retain manual collation as a backup in case of technical glitches.
The Senate is scheduled to reconvene on Tuesday, February 17, at 11 a.m. to make further decisions on national issues.
However, the protesters vowed to continue pressing lawmakers until full real-time transmission is guaranteed.
