Protesters Demand Real-Time Election Result Transmission

On a protest day, demonstrators stormed the National Assembly, demanding the mandatory real-time electronic transmission of election results, as outlined in the proposed amendment to the Electoral Act of 2026. The protest included civil society organizations, notably ActionAid, and was staged outside the main gate of the National Assembly complex.

This action followed a five-day break in the Assembly's sessions, during which assurances were given regarding the electoral process. Protesters argued that retaining manual collation could lead to manipulation and that the election budget already accounted for technological infrastructure.

They insisted on full transparency and called for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure real-time transmission of results through a view portal. The Senate, led by Chief Whip Tahir Monguno from the APC, had previously moved to remove the phrase "real-time" from the amendment, which led to objections from lawmakers, including Enyinnaya Abaribe of the APGA.

The Senate is scheduled to reconvene on February 17, 2026, to further discuss the Electoral Act amendment.