By Our Reporter
The ammendment to the Electoral Act is beginning to create ripples across the country as protesters gathered at the National Assembly in Abuja on Monday, to oppose the Senate’s decision to remove the mandatory electronic transmission of election results.
The demonstration, tagged ‘Occupy National Assembly,’ was organised by Nigerian youths, civil society organisations, and pro-democracy activists who demanded an immediate reversal of the decision.
Leading the march, former Anambra State governor and Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, accused the Senate of creating uncertainty in the electoral process. “Allow the election to go through the normal process. Whatever the outcome is, we will accept it. Why introduce confusion after the process?” he told the crowd amid loud chants.
Obi and other speakers argued that rejecting electronic transmission would erode transparency and public confidence ahead of future elections. A civil society leader at the rally said, “Electronic transmission is the backbone of credible elections. Anything short of that is a step back to the dark days of manipulation.”
Participants, including women’s groups and members of the African Democratic Congress, carried placards urging lawmakers to “protect the people’s votes.” Heavy security drawn from the police, army and NSCDC cordoned the complex while the protesters maintained a peaceful procession.
The action follows last week’s passage of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill in which senators voted against making electronic transmission compulsory, a move that has continued to draw nationwide criticism and renewed pressure on the National Assembly to reconsider its stance.
With reports from the Vanguard