Civil society organizations, opposition party members, and women’s groups converged at the entrance of the National Assembly in Abuja on Monday for the “Occupy National Assembly” protest.
The demonstration is a direct response to the Senate’s recent passage of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, which retained discretionary language on electronic transmission of results rather than making it mandatory in real time. Protesters are demanding explicit inclusion of “real-time electronic transmission” in the legislation.
Heavy security presence, including police, army, and civil defence personnel, was observed at the scene, with barricades placed at the assembly entrance. The protesters marched from the Federal Secretariat and assembled at the gate, stating they did not intend to enter the premises.
The protest follows clarifications from Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who explained that the Senate removed the term “real-time” to allow INEC flexibility in cases of network failure, but did not reject electronic transmission entirely.
Former Senate President David Mark has urged the National Assembly to allow INEC to decide on the transmission mode, a position supported by the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Amid the growing tension, the Senate has called an emergency plenary session for Tuesday, February 10, 2026, to address the ongoing debates.
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Disclaimer: This report is based on live coverage of the protest and statements from organizers and officials
