Nation Shaken: Protesters Expose Sh*cking Reasons Behind Assembly Siege

On Monday, pro-democracy protesters blocked the main entrance of the National Assembly Complex in Abuja, demanding that lawmakers explicitly include a provision for mandatory real-time electronic transmission of election results in the amended Electoral Act.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The demonstrators arrived early in the day, citing reports that the Senate had rejected a crucial clause requiring the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to transmit results electronically in real time.

Holding placards with messages such as “No real-time, no credibility”, “Secure our votes with tech”, and “Election results must be seen in real time”, the protesters called for transparency and consistency in electoral reforms. They emphasized that the phrase “real-time electronic transmission” must appear in the final bill to remove ambiguity and ensure accountability in the collation and announcement of results.

The protest follows public backlash over the Senate’s recent third reading of the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill 2026, during which Clause 60(3)—which would have made real-time electronic transmission mandatory—was voted down.

Although Senate leaders clarified that the use of technology was not rejected and that the removal of the term “real-time” was due to legal and logistical reasons, protesters insisted that leaving the phrasing ambiguous should not be left to INEC’s discretion.

Security forces, including the Nigeria Police, Nigerian Army, and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), were deployed to maintain order. Vehicular movement around the Three Arms Zone was partially restricted, but the protest remained peaceful at the time of reporting.

Protesters vowed to continue their demonstration until lawmakers incorporated their demand verbatim into the final amendment.

This action adds to growing pressure on the National Assembly, with civil society groups, opposition parties, and labor unions criticizing the Senate’s handling of the bill. The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) previously warned of potential mass action if the real-time clause is not adopted, while legal experts, including Femi Falana (SAN), have indicated possible legal challenges.

The Senate is scheduled to reconvene on Tuesday, February 10, for an emergency session, where the issue may be revisited.