Protesters have besieged the entrance of the National Assembly Complex in Abuja, demanding an unequivocal commitment to electronic transmission of election results as lawmakers continue work on amendments to the Electoral Act.

The demonstrators, made up of civil society groups, youth coalitions and pro-democracy activists, converged on the complex early in the day, chanting slogans and carrying placards that called for “real-time electronic transmission” of results from polling units across the country.

The protest followed reports that the Senate had rejected a clause that would make electronic transmission mandatory nationwide. Although lawmakers have since issued statements insisting that their position has been misunderstood, the protesters argue that only clear and binding language in the law can prevent manipulation of results.

Many of the placards accused politicians of attempting to weaken electoral transparency. Speakers at the rally said electronic transmission is essential to restoring public confidence in elections, reducing opportunities for ballot snatching and result tampering, and ensuring that votes cast at polling units are accurately reflected in final tallies.

Organisers insisted that the phrase “real-time electronic transmission” must be explicitly written into the Electoral Act, warning that any ambiguity would leave room for selective implementation by electoral officials or political actors.

A heavy security cordon was mounted around the National Assembly as the protest grew in size. Personnel from the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigerian Army and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps were deployed to the gates and adjoining roads, forming multiple layers of barricades to prevent demonstrators from entering the complex.

Despite the tense atmosphere, the protest remained largely peaceful, with organisers repeatedly urging participants to avoid confrontation with security agents. Some lawmakers were seen engaging briefly with the crowd, while others drove past as protesters attempted to present their demands.

Civil society leaders at the scene said the demonstration was part of a broader campaign to pressure the National Assembly to align the law with technological advances already adopted by the electoral commission, including the use of electronic accreditation devices and digital result-upload platforms.

They vowed to sustain public pressure until the final version of the Electoral Act clearly guarantees electronic transmission of results nationwide, describing it as a non-negotiable safeguard for credible elections.