By Abiola Olawale
Thousands of protesters, led by civil society organizations and youth groups, have converged on the National Assembly today, February 9, 2026.
The “Occupy NASS” demonstration was sparked by the Senate’s recent decision to reject a clause in the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2026 that would have made the electronic transmission of election results mandatory.
The atmosphere in the Federal Capital Territory remains tense as security forces, including the Nigeria Police, the Nigerian Army, and the Civil Defence (NSCDC), have cordoned off the legislative complex.
The controversy centers on the Senate’s Wednesday vote to discard a proposed change to Clause 60, sub-section 3. If passed, the amendment would have compelled the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to upload polling unit results to the IReV portal in real-time.
Instead, lawmakers opted to retain the language of the 2022 Act, which gives INEC the discretion to decide how results are transmitted. Critics argue that this “discretionary” power was a major loophole in the 2023 elections and remains a threat to the transparency of the upcoming 2027 general elections.
Although the Senate has issued several clarifications over reports that it rejected electronic transmission of results, the protesters insist that lawmakers must be explicit by including the phrase “real-time electronic transmission” in the proposed legislation.
Members of civil society organisations, a handful of opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC) members, and some women’s groups are gathered at the entrance of the National Assembly for the protest.
The police have already barricaded the entrance to the National Assembly.
More to come soon…
