Electoral Act: Protesters Storm National Assembly On Second Day As Ex-Buhari Minister Joins Demonstration
Electoral Act: Protesters Storm National Assembly On Second Day As Ex-Buhari Minister Joins Demonstration
Amaechi joined protesters at the National Assembly on the second day of the demonstration.
Former Rivers State governor and former minister of transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has joined the protest against the removal of the real-time electronic transmission of election results.
Amaechi joined protesters at the National Assembly on the second day of the demonstration.
The former governor had a tense encounter with the Nigerian Police as tensions escalated over the decision by the Godswill Akpabio-led Nigerian Senate.
SaharaReporters earlier reported that public anger over the Electoral Act amendments peaked on Monday when former Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, led hundreds of protesters to the National Assembly complex in Abuja.
According to SaharaReporters, the protest was organised under the banner of the National Opposition Movement (NOM), with demonstrators demanding transparent and mandatory electronic transmission of election results ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Protesters carried placards calling for electoral reforms and urging Senate President Akpabio to refrain from actions perceived as manipulating or undermining the Electoral Act.
Some went further, openly calling for his resignation and accusing the National Assembly leadership of ignoring sustained public demands for electoral transparency.
The demonstration prompted heavy security deployment at the National Assembly, with operatives from the Nigeria Police Force, Nigerian Army, Department of State Services (DSS), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and other agencies barricading the main gate to prevent a breakdown of law and order.
Addressing the crowd at the entrance of the National Assembly, Obi thanked Nigerians for turning out in large numbers, describing the protest as a lawful and patriotic call for reform.
“I want to thank the passionate Nigerians who have come out this morning to be part of this just demand for a free, transparent and fair election process,” Obi said.
“We must have a better Nigeria where all of us can be proud to say we are Nigerians.”
He disclosed that security operatives had advised protesters not to move beyond the National Assembly gate, a directive he said was obeyed in the interest of peace
Obi also renewed calls for compulsory electronic transmission of results directly from polling units, arguing that it would curb manipulation and allow citizens to monitor elections in real time.
“Election results must be transmitted electronically from the polling booth directly. Let people watch it,” Obi said. “This is what is done in South Africa, Ghana, and other countries. The giant of Africa has refused to be giant. We cannot continue to shame Africa.”
He added, “We want the giant of Africa to be the true giant of Africa.”
Meanwhile, the Senate on Tuesday would convene an emergency plenary session over its controversial handling of amendments to the Electoral Act, particularly the removal of the clause mandating real-time electronic transmission of election results.
The extraordinary sitting comes barely days after the Senate passed the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, 2026—a move that has triggered widespread condemnation from civil society organisations, opposition politicians, labour unions, professional bodies, regional leaders, and a growing youth-led protest movement.
With criticism mounting and demonstrations spilling to the gates of the National Assembly, the Senate leadership announced the emergency session late Sunday, signalling the intensity of the pressure confronting lawmakers.
The emergency plenary was formally announced in a statement signed by the Clerk of the Senate, Emmanuel Odo.
“The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has directed the reconvening of plenary for an emergency sitting on Tuesday, February 10, 2026,” the statement read.
Plenary is scheduled to commence at 12 noon, with Senate President Godswill Akpabio expected to preside. All 105 senators are expected to attend the session.
