The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, on Monday took part in the Occupy National Assembly protest in Abuja.
The demonstration followed the Senate’s passage of the Electoral Act 2022 (Repeal and Reenactment) Amendment Bill 2026 through the third reading, during which lawmakers removed the phrase “real-time” transmission of election results.
Despite several clarifications from the Senate over reports that it rejected electronic transmission of results, protesters insist that lawmakers must clearly include “real-time electronic transmission” in the proposed legislation.
Obi, now a member of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), was seen among protesters gathered at the National Assembly gate.
He said the Senate must act to prevent a repeat of the glitches reported by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) during the 2023 elections and make real-time electronic transmission of results compulsory.
Members of civil society organisations, some ADC members, and women’s groups also participated in the protest.
The protesters began their march from the Federal Secretariat and moved towards the National Assembly gate.
Security was tight at the venue, with operatives from the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigerian Army, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps deployed, while police barricaded the entrance to the complex.
However, some civil society representatives told Channels Television that the protesters do not plan to enter the National Assembly premises, as the protest is intended to remain at the entrance.