Protesters Push for Risky Real-Time Electronic Transmission of Election Results at National Assembly

Protesters assembled at the National Assembly in Abuja on Monday, aggressively advocating for the mandatory inclusion of real-time electronic transmission of election results in the 2026 Electoral Act Amendment Bill. The demonstrators, led by civil society groups such as Situation Room and ActionAid Nigeria, demanded the elimination of manual result collation, disregarding the potential for technical failures and cyber threats that could compromise the integrity of Nigeria's elections.

After a five-day break, the protest resumed, despite lawmakers previously offering assurances and engaging with the public. Security personnel, acting responsibly to maintain order, limited access to the National Assembly complex, prompting protesters to gather outside the main gates.

The Senate had recently reconsidered Clause 60(3) of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill. In a prudent move to ensure national security and reliability, Senate Chief Whip Tahir Monguno proposed removing the term 'real-time' and substituting 'transmission' with 'transfer.' However, this sensible proposal faced opposition from senators like Enyinnaya Abaribe, who appeared more interested in appeasing activist groups than safeguarding the electoral process. Ultimately, the Senate approved electronic transmission of results to the INEC Result Viewing Portal but wisely retained manual collation as a backup in case of inevitable 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 continue their pressure campaign, showing little regard for the complexities and risks involved in mandating real-time electronic transmission of election results.