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By Lizzy Chirkpi
Former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi has added his voice to the growing protest in Abuja calling for the real-time transmission of election results, in a demonstration that has drawn opposition figures, civil society leaders and activists to the nation’s capital.
The protest, tagged “Occupy National Assembly,” began on Monday when hundreds of Nigerian youths rallied at the Federal Secretariat before marching to the National Assembly complex to oppose the Senate’s decision to drop the phrase “real-time electronic transmission” from the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2026. A move protesters say weakens transparency and accountability in the electoral process ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Amaechi, who joined the demonstration on Tuesday, attended with his son and addressed journalists, insisting that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) fears real-time transmission because it could diminish its electoral advantage. “If we come out, and they say the opposition has hijacked the protest, what is APC doing? Are they not hijacking? What are they afraid of?” he asked, adding that opposition parties should be fully engaged in the agitation.
Earlier in the protest, former Labour Party presidential candidate and African Democratic Congress (ADC) member Peter Obi stood with demonstrators outside the National Assembly gates, decrying what he described as a rollback of democratic gains and warning that credible elections are non-negotiable. “We must dismantle this criminality and prove that Nigeria can still show light in Africa,” Obi said, urging lawmakers to enshrine real-time electronic transmission explicitly in law.
Organised by the Obidient Movement in collaboration with pro-democracy groups, the protest has drawn a range of civil society organisations, human rights activists and pressure groups. Prominent figures seen or reported at the rally include Aisha Yesufu, a well-known activist; Dr. Yunusa Tanko, National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement Worldwide; and other advocates for electoral reform carrying placards reading “Our Votes Must Count” and “Protect Democracy Now.”
In addition to youth demonstrators and political figures, women’s groups, human rights organisations and some members of the ADC have been actively involved. The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has also backed calls for an overhaul of the electoral law, warning that failure to address the reforms could lead to wider national actions.
Security was tight around the National Assembly complex, with the Nigeria Police Force, Nigerian Army and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps deployed to maintain order and block entry into the legislative premises.
While the Senate has scheduled an emergency plenary session to consider the Electoral Act Amendment Bill further, protesters have vowed to sustain their presence until the real-time transmission provision is restored, arguing that unambiguous legal backing for electronic transmission is essential for credible, transparent elections.