Outcry in Abuja as Nigerians Demand Instant Electronic Transmission of Election Results

Story : Written by Daniel February 10,2026
Protests erupted in Abuja on Monday as hundreds of Nigerians gathered at the National Assembly Complex to demand real-time electronic transmission of election results, raising fresh concerns over the integrity of the electoral process.
The demonstration followed the Senate’s passage of the Electoral Act 2022 (Repeal and Re-enactment) Amendment Bill, 2026, which controversially removed the term “real-time” from provisions guiding electronic transmission of results. Protesters argue that the change weakens transparency and creates room for manipulation after voting.
Although the Senate has insisted that electronic transmission of results remains in place, demonstrators maintained that the absence of a clear real-time requirement undermines public trust and exposes elections to post-poll interference.
Under the banner “Occupy the National Assembly,” protesters marched from the Federal Secretariat toward the legislature, chanting solidarity songs and holding placards with inscriptions such as “Our Votes Must Count,” “No to Electoral Robbery,” and “Defend Our Democracy.”
The protest was organised by the Obidient Movement in collaboration with pro-democracy groups, who accused lawmakers of attempting to dilute electoral safeguards ahead of the 2027 general elections. Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, joined the protesters, further amplifying the demonstration.
Security operatives drawn from the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigerian Army, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps blocked access to the National Assembly, forcing protesters to continue their rally outside the complex.
Addressing journalists at the venue, Obi cautioned against what he described as a steady erosion of democratic gains, stressing that credible and transparent elections are fundamental to Nigeria’s progress and stability.
“We must end this criminality and show that Nigeria can be a beacon of democracy in Africa,” he said.
The protest gained momentum with Obi’s presence, particularly among young Nigerians who see him as a symbol of the youth-driven political awakening that emerged during the 2023 general elections.
Also speaking, Yunusa Tanko, National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement Worldwide, vowed that the protests would continue until lawmakers explicitly restore real-time electronic transmission of results in the amended law.
“If there is no electronic transmission of results, then there is no credible election. Our votes must truly count,” Tanko said.
He recalled that manual collation has historically been a major source of electoral malpractice, adding that electronic transmission was introduced after the 2011 and 2015 elections to curb such abuses. Nigeria’s demand for deep electoral reforms, he noted, gained urgency following the widely condemned 2007 general elections, often described as among the worst in the nation’s history.