Peter Obi leads protest to national assembly over electronic transmission clause
Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, on Monday joined protesters at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja to challenge the Senate’s decision to reject mandatory real-time electronic transmission of election results.
The demonstration drew participation from student groups, civil society organisations, members of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), and supporters of Obi under the Obidient Movement platform.
Addressing the crowd as chants and solidarity songs rang out, Obi urged lawmakers to allow elections to follow transparent and predictable rules.
“Allow the elections to go through the normal process. Whoever wins, we would accept,” he said.
“So, why are you bringing this confusion?”
The protest follows the Senate’s passage of the Electoral Act amendment bill on February 4 after hours of clause-by-clause consideration. Among the changes approved was a reduction in the period for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to issue a notice of election from 360 days to 180 days.
However, lawmakers rejected a proposal that sought to make real-time electronic transmission of results compulsory, opting instead to retain the existing provision in the Electoral Act 2022 that leaves electronic transfer of results to INEC’s discretion.
The controversy centres on Clause 60(3) of the amendment bill, which proposed that presiding officers “shall electronically transmit the results from each polling unit to the IREV portal in real time” after Form EC8A had been signed and stamped at the polling unit.
The clause was designed to turn electronic transmission into a legal obligation, ensuring immediate upload of results directly to INEC’s Result Viewing portal.
The Senate, however, voted it down and adopted the current wording under Section 60(5) of the 2022 Act, which states: “The presiding officer shall transfer the results, including the total number of accredited voters and the results of the ballot, in a manner as prescribed by the Commission.”
The decision triggered widespread backlash on social media and among labour unions and civil society groups. In response to the growing outrage, the Senate announced an emergency plenary sitting scheduled for Tuesday, February 10.
In a notice signed by the Clerk of the Senate, Emmanuel Odo, the sitting was convened on the directive of the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio.
The Nigeria Labour Congress has also warned of mass action if the legislature fails to clarify or reverse its position on electronic transmission of election results.
