Peter Obi, a leading presidential hopeful for the 2027 general elections, on Monday, led a wave of protesters to the National Assembly in Abuja to demand the inclusion of real-time electronic transmission of results in the Electoral Amendment Bill.
The protest, which began in the early hours of Monday, February 9, saw Obi joined by popular human rights activist Aisha Yesufu and various civil society organizations. The group converged at the main entrance of the parliamentary building, chanting slogans and carrying placards with inscriptions such as “Protect Our Votes” and “No Real-Time Result, No Election.”
Addressing the crowd, the protesters argued that the credibility of the 2027 polls hinges on the National Assembly’s willingness to legalize the direct upload of results from polling units to a central portal.
In anticipation of the march, a combined team of the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) barricaded key access points. While the security presence was heavy, officials stated their mission was to ensure the protest remained peaceful.
“We are here to ensure that the will of the people is reflected in the laws of the land,” one protester said. “We cannot afford a repeat of the ambiguities of the past.”
As of the time of filing this report, the National Assembly leadership had not yet addressed the protesters, who vowed to remain at the gate until they received a formal commitment from the lawmakers.
