JUST IN: Peter Obi Joins Protest Over Senate’s Rejection of E-Transmission in Elections

Peter Obi, 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate and now African Democratic Congress (ADC) member, joined the Occupy National Assembly protest in Abuja on Monday, calling for the mandatory “real-time” electronic transmission of election results.

The demonstration comes after the Senate passed the Electoral Act 2022 (Repeal and Reenactment) Amendment Bill 2026 through its third reading, removing the phrase “real-time” from provisions on election result transmission. While the Senate has issued clarifications on its position, protesters insist that the legislation must explicitly guarantee real-time electronic reporting to prevent errors similar to those reported by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in 2023.

Obi joined civil society organizations, ADC members, and women’s groups at the National Assembly gate, marching from the Federal Secretariat. Protesters emphasized that the demonstration will be confined to the entrance and does not involve entering the National Assembly complex.

A heavy security presence has been deployed, including personnel from the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigerian Army, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, with barricades set up at the Assembly entrance.

The protest reflects growing public demand for electoral reforms and transparent vote reporting in Nigeria’s upcoming elections.