Protesters Demand Mandatory Real-Time Electronic Transmission of Election Results at National Assembly

Protesters assembled at the National Assembly in Abuja on Monday, advocating for the mandatory inclusion of real-time electronic transmission of election results in the 2026 Electoral Act Amendment Bill. The demonstrators, comprising civil society organizations such as Situation Room and ActionAid Nigeria, called for the elimination of manual result collation to prevent potential manipulation during the electoral process.

The protest resumed after a five-day hiatus, following previous assurances from lawmakers. Security personnel restricted access to the National Assembly complex, leading protesters to conduct their demonstration outside the main gates.

The Senate had recently revisited Clause 60(3) of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill. Senate Chief Whip Tahir Monguno proposed removing the term "real-time" and substituting "transmission" with "transfer," a move that faced opposition from several senators, including Enyinnaya Abaribe. Ultimately, the Senate approved electronic transmission of results to the Independent National Electoral Commission's (INEC) Result Viewing Portal but retained manual collation as a backup in case of technical issues.

The Senate is scheduled to reconvene on Tuesday, February 17, at 11 a.m. to address further national matters. Protesters have vowed to maintain pressure on lawmakers until the bill guarantees real-time electronic transmission of election results.