Protesters besiege national assembly over electronic result transmission
Protesters on Monday stormed the entrance of the National Assembly Complex in Abuja, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) demanding clarity on the mandatory electronic transmission of election results amid controversies surrounding the ongoing Electoral Act amendment.
Penpushing reports that heavy security presence was deployed at the scene, with personnel from the Nigeria Police Force, Nigerian Army, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps maintaining law and order as the demonstration lasted.
The protesters vowed to confront lawmakers over reports that the Senate rejected a clause requiring the mandatory electronic transmission of election results.
The upper chamber has issued clarifications denying any complexity in its position, but the protesters insisted that the legislation explicitly include the phrase real-time electronic transmission.
Penpushing further reports that the demonstrators, who converged at the main entrance of the complex in the early hours, said their action was prompted by reports that the Senate rejected a clause making electronic transmission of results compulsory.
The protesters carried placards with inscriptions calling for transparency and credible polls, and vowed to sustain pressure on the legislature until their demand is reflected verbatim in the final draft of the bill.
Penpushing also reports that they argued that anything short of an unambiguous provision could undermine public confidence in the electoral process and leave room for manipulation and urged lawmakers to act in line with public expectations and global best practices by guaranteeing real-time electronic transmission of election results in the amended Electoral Act.
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