More prominent Nigerians have joined the protest in Abuja, the nation’s capital to press the Nigerian Senate to amend the Electoral Act to include a clause for the real-time transmission of election results in the country.
The Nigerian Senate, the magazine reports, is set for an Emergency Meeting for Tuesday to deliberate on the issue, after the backlash that trailed the senators decision to pass the amendment to the 2025 Electoral Act without the clause.
Speaking after the Senate Passed the bill last Friday Senate President Godswill Akpabio said the Upper Chamber had decided to retain the former Act which did not make it compulsory for the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC to transmit election results electronically.
The Senate position, is however, contrary to the House of Representatives, which had earlier included the clause mandating INEC to transmit election results electronically in its own amendment, waiting for the Senate for harmonization of the Bill before it’s sent to the president for his assent.
Nigerians have reacted angrily to the Senate’s action, with protests organised by some civil society groups, on Monday, at the National Assembly Complex to force the Upper Chamber to change its mind on the issue.
The latest to join the protest, on Tuesday, is a former Minister of Transportation and Rivers State governor, Rotimi Amaechi, as the protesters await the outcome of the ongoing Emergency Meeting by the senators to address the issue.
The magazine reports that the 2023 Presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi had on Monday joined other protesters at the National Assembly demanding for the clause to be included in the Act as a basis for the country to show its readiness for serious electoral reforms.
Also on Monday, the Social Democratic Party, SDP, Presidential candidate in the 2023 presidential election, Adewole Adebayo disclosed that more protests will be organized across the country to force the Senate to include the clause.
The former SDP presidential candidate accused the Senate President Godswill Akpabio of planning to truncate the next election in the country. Nigerians will not allow that to happen, he said, while featuring on Channels Television programme, Politic Today on Monday.
Not a few Nigerians insist that transmitting election results electronically will ensure transparency in the subsequent elections in the country, particularity as the next general election has been slated for next year by the Election Umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
The magazine had earlier reported that a coalition of 70 civil society groups in the country issued a statement last Friday demanding real- time transmission of election results by the INEC during the 2027 general election.
The CSOs, under the aegis of the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room, accused the Nigerian of passing a retrogressive version of the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill 2026, saying the Act must be amended to safeguard transparency, public trust and credibility in the elections. .
They urged the Conference Committee of the National Assembly to retain progressive provisions agreed by the Joint Committees, particularly real-time electronic transmission of results and realistic electoral timelines.
The statement, which was jointly signed by the Convener of the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room, Yunusa Z. Ya’u, and the two Co-Conveners, Mma Odi and Celestine Odo, read: “The Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room expresses grave concern and profound disappointment over the passage by the Senate of a watered-down and retrogressive version of the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill 2026.
“The version passed by the Senate substantially departs from the progressive reforms agreed by the Joint National Assembly Committees on Electoral Matters after extensive consultations with stakeholders. Rather than strengthening Nigeria’s electoral framework ahead of the 2027 General Elections, the Senate’s amendments weaken critical safeguards for transparency, credibility, and public trust in elections. Of particular concern is the Senate’s removal of provisions mandating real-time electronic transmission of election results from polling units to INEC’s Result Viewing Portal (IReV).
“This reform enjoys broad public support and is widely recognised as essential to reducing manipulation, enhancing transparency, and restoring confidence in the electoral process.
“By making electronic transmission discretionary, the Senate has reopened loopholes that Nigeria’s electoral reforms were designed to close. This decision directly contradicts the position of the House of Representatives, which explicitly approved mandatory real-time transmission during its clause-by-clause consideration of the Bill.
“It is also a troubling retreat from lessons learned during the 2023 General Elections, where the absence of mandatory real-time transmission contributed significantly to disputes, litigation, and widespread public mistrust of election outcomes. Equally disturbing is the Senate’s decision to reduce the timeline for the issuance of the Notice of Elections from 360 days to 180 days before polling day.
The Situation Room finds it particularly disturbing that these retrogressive amendments were introduced despite sustained civic engagement. The Senate’s action reflects a troubling disregard for citizen advocacy and stakeholder consensus.
“While the constitution of a Conference (Harmonisation) Committee is a recognised legislative procedure, it must not become a channel for further weakening electoral reforms. The harmonisation process presents a final opportunity to protect the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral system.
“Situation Room, therefore, calls on the Conference Committee to retain the progressive provisions agreed by the Joint Committees, particularly mandatory real-time electronic transmission of results and realistic electoral timelines. We also urge the leadership of the National Assembly to demonstrate statesmanship and ensure that the final Bill strengthens—rather than undermines—Nigeria’s democracy”.
