By Vincent Egunyanga and Ben Adoga, Abuja
A massive protest by opposition leaders and civil society organisations on Monday shook the National Assembly, as demonstrators accused lawmakers of engineering a rollback of electoral reforms by moving to remove mandatory electronic transmission of results from the ongoing Electoral Act amendment process ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The protest, which attracted a mammoth crowd, was led by former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, alongside prominent activist Aisha Yesufu and a coalition of civil society groups.
Marching to the National Assembly complex, the protesters carried placards demanding electoral transparency and warning Senate President Godswill Akpabio against any perceived attempt to manipulate or undermine the Electoral Act.
Addressing the crowd at the main gate of the National Assembly, Obi described the protest as a constitutional and patriotic duty aimed at defending Nigeria’s democracy from legislative sabotage.
“This is a just demand for a free, transparent and fair election process,” Obi said. “We must build a Nigeria where elections reflect the will of the people and not the interests of a few.”
He disclosed that security agencies advised protesters not to proceed beyond the gate, a directive he said was respected in the interest of peace and lawfulness.
“The police have advised us that we cannot go beyond this point, and as law-abiding citizens, we accept that,” he said, adding that the restriction would not silence public demand for credible elections.
Obi argued that transparency must cover the entire electoral cycle, beginning with the verification of candidates’ credentials long before Election Day.
“If anyone claims to have attended primary school, secondary school or university, Nigerians should be able to verify that information before such a person even goes through party primaries,” he said, insisting that openness is key to restoring public confidence in the system.
• Senate urged to restore mandatory e-transmission clause
Civil society groups at the protest reinforced the criticism of the Senate’s stance.
The Concerned Citizens Leadership Integrity and Transparency Advocacy Initiative (CLITA) condemned the rejection of mandatory electronic transmission of results, describing it as a dangerous setback for Nigeria’s democracy.
Speaking on the side-lines of the protest, CLITA Executive Director Isaiah Davies Ijele warned that weakening the e-transmission provision would reopen the door to large-scale manipulation.
“Mandatory electronic transmission of results is not a luxury; it is a safeguard,” Ijele said.
“It reduces human interference, limits manipulation, and strengthens public confidence in the electoral process.”
He accused lawmakers resisting the clause of placing political self-interest above national interest, stressing that Nigerians were not demanding perfection but meaningful progress in the conduct of elections.
Despite reports that the Senate convened an emergency sitting to address the controversy, no delegation from the National Assembly addressed the protesters as of press time.
The demonstrators vowed to sustain peaceful pressure, insisting that restoring mandatory electronic transmission of election results is non-negotiable if Nigeria’s democracy is to retain legitimacy and public trust.
