Former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, on Monday joined civil society groups, labour activists and opposition figures at the National Assembly in Abuja to protest what they described as the Senate’s alleged rejection of mandatory electronic transmission of election results in the ongoing Electoral Act amendment process.
The protest, which drew widespread attention both on-ground and across live broadcast platforms, saw demonstrators brandishing placards with inscriptions such as “Make Electronic Transmission of Results Mandatory,” “Defend Democracy,” and “Take Legislative Action on Electoral Act Amendment.”
Participants included representatives of civil society organisations, Enough Is Enough, human rights activists, pressure groups, labour supporters, and members of opposition political parties, all calling for clear constitutional backing for the electronic transmission of results from polling units to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) Result Viewing Portal (IREV).
Speaking briefly at the protest, Obi reiterated that transparent elections remain central to Nigeria’s democratic stability, warning that any ambiguity around result transmission could erode public confidence in future polls.
The demonstration followed growing public controversy over reports that the Senate declined to adopt a proposed amendment that would compel INEC presiding officers to electronically transmit polling unit results in real time immediately after Form EC8A is signed and endorsed by party agents.
Instead, the Senate reportedly retained the existing provision of the 2022 Electoral Act, which states that “the presiding officer shall transfer the results… in a manner as prescribed by the Commission,” a wording critics argue leaves room for discretion and manipulation.
Reacting to the development, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Sunday expressed deep concern over what it described as confusion and contradictory narratives emanating from the National Assembly on the fate of electronic transmission.
In a statement, NLC President, Joe Ajaero, said public records indicate that the amendment mandating real-time electronic transmission of results was not adopted, thereby retaining discretionary powers for INEC.
“This has generated nationwide apprehension, and subsequent explanations have only added to the confusion,” Ajaero said. He urged the leadership of the National Assembly to ensure that the ongoing harmonisation process produces a final bill with “crystal-clear provisions,” warning that ambiguity in result transmission would undermine democracy.
Ajaero further threatened mass action before, during and after elections—or a total boycott—if electronic transmission of results in real time is not guaranteed in law.
“Nigerian workers and citizens are watching closely. Our nation must choose the path of clarity and integrity. The time for honest, people-focused legislation is now,” he said.
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has also weighed in on the controversy, urging lawmakers to adopt the proposed amendment to Clause 60(3) of the Electoral Amendment Bill to make electronic transmission of results mandatory.
The call followed the adoption of a report by NBA President, Max Afam Osigwe, SAN, at the association’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held in Maiduguri, Borno State, on February 5, 2026. The report expressed concern over the Senate’s alleged rejection of the amendment and warned of the legal and democratic implications of vague electoral provisions.
However, the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has dismissed claims that the National Assembly has removed electronic transmission of results from the bill.
Speaking in Abuja at the unveiling of a book titled “The Burden of Legislators in Nigeria” by former Senator Effiong Bob, Akpabio said the Senate did not abolish electronic transmission, but merely removed the phrase “real time” from the provision.
“I must state clearly, without ambiguity, that the Senate has not removed any means of transmission,” Akpabio said, adding that electronic transmission remains permissible under the law.
Despite the Senate President’s clarification, critics insist that the absence of an explicit real-time transmission requirement weakens safeguards against electoral malpractice, heightening calls for clearer legislative language as the harmonisation process between the Senate and the House of Representatives continues.
