The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, on Monday joined protesters at the National Assembly in Abuja under the banner of the “Occupy National Assembly” protest.
The protest follows the Senate’s passage of the Electoral Act 2022 (Repeal and Re-enactment) Amendment Bill 2026 through third reading, during which lawmakers removed the phrase “real-time” from provisions on the electronic transmission of election results.
Although the Senate has issued several clarifications over reports that it rejected electronic transmission of results, the protesters insist that lawmakers must explicitly include the phrase “real-time electronic transmission” in the proposed legislation.
Obi, who is now a member of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), was among the protesters gathered at the National Assembly gate.
Speaking at the protest, Obi said the Senate must take steps to prevent a recurrence of the glitches reported by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) during the 2023 general elections, stressing that real-time electronic transmission of results should be made mandatory.
Members of civil society organisations, some opposition ADC members, and women’s groups are also participating in the protest.
The protesters began their march from the Federal Secretariat and proceeded towards the National Assembly gate.
There was a heavy security presence at the scene, with personnel drawn from the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigerian Army, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps. The police barricaded the entrance to the National Assembly.
However, some civil society members, who spoke to newsmen, said the protesters do not intend to enter the National Assembly premises, as the protest is expected to take place mainly at the entrance.
