Civil society organisations on Tuesday staged a second day of protests at the National Assembly, demanding that the proposed Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill 2026 make real-time electronic transmission of election results from polling units to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) mandatory.
The demonstrations, led by ActionAid Nigeria alongside other civic groups, followed concerns that the Senate’s version of the amendment bill weakens provisions for electronic transmission, contrary to the House of Representatives’ draft, which has received backing from civil society.
Addressing protesters, the Country Director of ActionAid Nigeria, Andrew Mamedu, insisted that the demand for reform was unequivocal. He called for “real-time electronic transmission of results—mandatory and without conditions,” warning that manipulation often occurs during the transmission stage, thereby undermining electoral credibility.
Mamedu cited India as an example of successful technology-driven electoral management, noting that despite its vast electorate and network limitations, the country has effectively implemented electronic voting and results transmission. He urged citizens to hold lawmakers accountable for supporting mandatory electronic transmission in the final legislation.
Also speaking, the Convener of Lawyers in Defence of Democracy and Human Rights, Okere Nnamdi, described the gathering as a “people’s parliament” backing the House version of the bill. He called on the harmonisation committee of both chambers to adopt the House proposal in its entirety.
Nnamdi warned that any deviation from the House draft could trigger widespread legal action. He stated that more than 1,000 public interest litigations would be filed if the final version of the bill falls short of guaranteeing mandatory electronic transmission.
The Chief Executive Officer of The Albino Foundation Africa (TAF Africa), Jake Epelle, speaking on behalf of persons with disabilities, emphasised that credible elections depend on transparent processes. He maintained that real-time transmission of results is essential to restoring public trust in the electoral system and pledged sustained civic engagement until the law reflects that provision.
Protesters argued that mandatory electronic transmission would strengthen transparency, create a level playing field for political actors, and rebuild confidence in Nigeria’s democratic institutions. They vowed to maintain pressure on lawmakers as the National Assembly moves to reconcile the Senate and House versions of the amendment bill.
The protests underscore growing civic demand for technology-driven reforms aimed at safeguarding electoral integrity and ensuring that election outcomes reflect the genuine will of the electorate.
