By Joy Yesufu
Former Anambra State Governor and prominent member of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Peter Obi, on Monday joined protesters at the National Assembly in Abuja to oppose the Senate’s rejection of the mandatory electronic transmission of election results.
The protest, tagged “Occupy National Assembly”, saw youths and pro-democracy activists converge on the National Assembly complex to express dissatisfaction with the lawmakers’ stance on the e-transmission clause of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill.
Addressing demonstrators at the protest ground, Obi criticised the Senate’s decision, describing it as an unnecessary obstacle to a transparent electoral process.
He urged lawmakers to allow elections to proceed without restrictions that could undermine public trust.
“Allow the election to go through the normal process. Whatever the outcome is, we will accept it. Why introduce confusion after the process?” Obi asked.
He stressed that electronic transmission of results is critical to strengthening the credibility of elections and restoring confidence in Nigeria’s democratic system.
The demonstration attracted a heavy security presence, with operatives of the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigerian Army, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) deployed around the National Assembly to maintain order.
Protesters demanded that the National Assembly urgently reconsider its position on electronic transmission, insisting that the provision is essential for transparency, accountability, and credible elections.
As of the time of filing this report, the protest remained peaceful, with security agencies closely monitoring activities around the complex.
