A group of protesters under the aegis of various civil society organisations on Tuesday stormed the gates of the National Assembly, demanding the inclusion of a provision mandating the electronic transmission of election results in the Electoral Amendment Bill.
The protest follows a recent Senate plenary in which lawmakers rejected a proposal seeking to make the electronic transmission of results from polling units to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) Result Viewing Portal (IReV) compulsory.
This has drawn widespread criticism from Nigerians and civil society groups, who argue that it could undermine transparency and erode public confidence in future elections.
While responding to the concerns, Senate President Godswill Akpabio denied claims that the Senate had removed electronic transmission from the proposed amendment, insisting that the existing provisions in the Electoral Act 2022 were retained.
According to the protesters, making the electronic transmission of results mandatory is critical to improving transparency and restoring public trust in Nigeria’s electoral process.
Sources at the National Assembly said the protest remained peaceful, with security operatives deployed around the complex to maintain order and prevent a breakdown of law and order.
