Tear Gas and Transparency: Protesters Storm National Assembly Demanding Watertight E-Transmission Law
The serene environment of the National Assembly complex was shattered on Monday as security operatives fired tear gas to disperse hundreds of protesters demanding a crucial amendment to the nation’s electoral law . The demonstrators, a coalition of civil society organisations including Situation Room Nigeria and ActionAid Nigeria, are pushing for the complete removal of manual result collation from the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, 2026 .
The protest marks an escalation in a long-running battle over the credibility of Nigeria’s election results. While the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has successfully deployed the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV), the law still permits a manual backup, which critics argue is a loophole for manipulation at collation centres . The protesters are demanding that the law mandate “real-time” electronic transmission of results directly from polling units, with no provision for a manual alternative in the event of “technical failures.”
The renewed push follows a tense moment in the Senate last week, where lawmakers narrowly voted to retain electronic transmission but with the manual backup clause. A proposal by the Senate Chief Whip, Tahir Monguno, to replace the word “transmission” with “transfer” sparked heated debate on the floor, with Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe raising multiple points of order . As the Senate reconvened on Tuesday, protesters remained resolute outside the barricaded gates, insisting that only a foolproof, technology-driven law can safeguard the will of the people in future elections .
