Protesters besiege National Assembly over electronic transmission of results + Video

Protesters on Monday gathered at the entrance of the National Assembly complex in Abuja, demanding clarity and explicit inclusion of mandatory electronic transmission of election results in the ongoing Electoral Act amendment.

The demonstrators, operating under the banner Occupy National Assembly, insisted that the legislation must clearly state “real-time electronic transmission” of results in the electoral reforms.

This comes as a reaction to reports that the Senate rejected a clause making electronic transmission compulsory.

Although the upper chamber has issued clarifications denying that it removed the provision, protesters said the wording of the bill must leave no room for ambiguity.

In footage circulating online, members of civil society organisations, a handful of opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC) members and women’s groups were seen at the protest scene.

A heavy security presence was deployed at the scene, with personnel from the Nigeria Police Force, Nigerian Army and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps stationed around the complex as the protest unfolded.

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The protesters said they were determined to confront lawmakers over what they described as attempts to weaken transparency in the electoral process by failing to clearly mandate electronic transmission of results.

On Sunday, human rights activist and former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore announced that the National Opposition Movement would stage a demonstration against what he described as the “removal of electronic transmission of election results.”

In a post on his verified X handle, Sowore alleged that the move was aimed at undermining the credibility of future elections and urged Nigerians to mobilise in support of the #OccupyNASS protest.

As of the time of filing this report, there had been no official response from lawmakers to the protesters’ demands at the National Assembly complex.

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