By peace udugba- The daily mail
Rotimi Amaechi, former Governor of Rivers State and ex-Minister of Transportation, on Tuesday joined protesters at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja, demanding that real-time electronic transmission of election results be made mandatory in the proposed amendment to the Electoral Act.
A video shared on Tuesday by X user @ImranMuhammed showed Amaechi standing with the protesters as he voiced support for their call for electoral reforms and urged lawmakers to accede to the demand.
The protest comes amid growing controversy over the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, particularly over whether the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should be expressly required to transmit results electronically and in real time from polling units ahead of the 2027 general elections.
On Monday, former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, also joined the protesters, lending his voice to calls for greater electoral transparency and credibility.
The demonstration attracted widespread attention on social media after protesters were seen carrying mattresses and pillows to the National Assembly, a symbolic gesture many interpreted as a declaration of their intention to remain at the complex until their demands are met.
The demonstrators, drawn from civil society groups, youth organisations and concerned citizens, insist that the proposed legislation must explicitly include the phrase “real-time electronic transmission” to eliminate any ambiguity that could undermine the integrity of elections.
While a significant number of Nigerians have called on lawmakers to make real-time electronic transmission compulsory, some legislators have argued that the provision should remain discretionary, citing logistical and infrastructural challenges.
The Senate has repeatedly denied reports that it rejected the clause, issuing clarifications to counter what it described as misinformation surrounding its position on the matter.
Despite this, protesters have maintained their stance, arguing that explicit legislative language is necessary to prevent manipulation and ensure that INEC does not have discretionary powers in transmitting election results.
