Hundreds of civil society groups, activists, and members of the public and concerned citizens has gathered at the gates of the National Assembly on Monday, 9th February, 2026 to launch the #OccupyNASS protest, demanding a total overhaul of the Electoral Act ahead of the 2027 general elections.
This demonstration followed the Senate’s recent decision to remove a critical clause from the Electoral Act Amendment Bill that would have mandated the electronic transmission of election results from polling units. By retaining the current legal framework, lawmakers have left the method of result transfer to the discretion of the Independent National Electoral Commission, a move protesters say undermines electoral integrity.
The Movement for Credible Elections (MCEs), one of the primary organizers of the sit-in, characterized the legislative move as a calculated attempt to weaken the democratic process. In a formal statement released during the rally, the group present there argued that the technology is already available and necessary for transparent polls.
“Mandatory electronic transmission of results is not controversial, but a minimum safeguard against result tampering, ballot rewriting and post-election fraud,” the MCEs stated.
The group further challenged the National Assembly to publish the names of every lawmaker who voted against the electronic transmission clause, accusing the legislature of attempting to subvert the will of the people.
The protest has gained significant backing from organized labor. The Nigeria Labour Congress issued a warning that the exclusion of real-time electronic transmission could result in a national boycott of the 2027 polls or sustained mass action across the country.
In response to the growing public outcry and the presence of demonstrators at the assembly gates, the Senate has scheduled an emergency plenary session for Tuesday. Observers therefore expect the lawmakers to revisit the disputed sections of the bill before it is sent to the presidency for assent.
