Peter Obi Leads ‘Occupy National Assembly’ Protest Over Senate’s Rejection of Electronic Transmission of Results
By Passman Akpos
Abuja, Monday — Former Anambra State Governor and 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, on Monday led a mass protest to the National Assembly in Abuja to oppose the Senate’s decision rejecting mandatory electronic transmission of election results.
The protest, tagged “Occupy National Assembly,” was organised by Nigerian youths, pro-democracy advocates and civil society organisations who are demanding an immediate reversal of the Senate’s stance on the contentious clause in the Electoral Act Amendment Bill.
Addressing demonstrators at the main entrance of the National Assembly complex, Obi criticised the lawmakers’ decision, warning that it threatens the credibility of Nigeria’s electoral process.
“Allow the election to go through the normal process. Whatever the outcome is, we will accept it. Why introduce confusion after the process?” Obi asked, drawing loud cheers from the crowd.He argued that rejecting electronic transmission of results undermines public confidence in elections and fuels suspicion about transparency ahead of future polls.
According to him, credible elections remain the foundation of democratic stability, stressing that technology-driven processes are essential to restoring trust between citizens and the state.
Protesters at the rally insisted that electronic transmission of results is critical to curbing manipulation, reducing post-election disputes and strengthening confidence in Nigeria’s democracy. They urged lawmakers to reconsider the clause in the interest of national integrity and democratic progress.
Participants included representatives of civil society organisations, women’s groups and a small number of members of the opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC). They converged at the National Assembly early Monday morning, chanting solidarity songs and displaying placards demanding electoral transparency.
A heavy security presence was observed around the complex, with operatives of the Nigeria Police Force, Nigerian Army and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) deployed to maintain order.
Security personnel were stationed at strategic points within and around the National Assembly as protesters chanted slogans and called on lawmakers to “protect democracy” and “restore electronic transmission of results.”
The demonstration comes in the wake of the Senate’s recent passage of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, during which lawmakers rejected a proposal to make electronic transmission of election results compulsory — a decision that has continued to attract sharp criticism from civil society groups and opposition figures nationwide.
