A former Rivers State governor and ex-Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, on Tuesday joined protesters at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja to demand the mandatory inclusion of real-time electronic transmission of election results in the ongoing amendment of the Electoral Act.
The protest followed mounting controversy over the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill ahead of the 2027 general elections, particularly over whether the Independent National Electoral Commission should be compelled to transmit results electronically and in real time from polling units.
In a video circulating on social media and shared by X user, #ImranMuhammed, Amaechi was seen standing alongside demonstrators as they pressed for lawmakers to accede to their demands.
The protesters, drawn from civil society organisations, youth groups and other concerned citizens, insisted that the proposed legislation must clearly retain the phrase “real-time electronic transmission” to eliminate any ambiguity that could weaken electoral transparency and integrity.
The demonstration also attracted attention online after some protesters were seen carrying mattresses and pillows to the National Assembly complex, a gesture widely interpreted as a symbolic message that they were prepared to remain at the venue until their demands were addressed.
The protest comes a day after a former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, joined similar demonstrations at the National Assembly, adding his voice to calls for a more credible and transparent electoral process.
While many Nigerians and civil society actors continue to urge the National Assembly to make real-time electronic transmission of results compulsory, some lawmakers have maintained that the provision should remain discretionary, citing logistical challenges and infrastructural limitations across parts of the country.
The Senate has, however, repeatedly denied claims that it rejected electronic transmission of election results in the amendment process, issuing several clarifications to counter what it described as misinformation about its position.
The renewed protest reflects growing public pressure on the legislature to amend the bill in a manner that guarantees transparent collation and transmission of results ahead of the 2027 general elections.
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