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Human rights activist Aisha Yesufu has again demanded the mandatory real-time electronic transmission of election results, while questioning the deployment of soldiers to a peaceful protest at the National Assembly in Abuja.
Yesufu spoke on Tuesday at the protest ground during the “Occupy National Assembly” demonstration, organised in response to the Senate’s decision to reject a clause mandating real-time transmission of results in the Electoral Act amendment.
She said Nigerians were simply asking lawmakers to pass the bill in a way that guarantees transparency and credibility in elections.
“All we are asking for is real-time electronic transmission of results. That is the demand of Nigerians. I do not see why that should be a problem,” she said.
The activist also criticised the presence of soldiers at the protest venue, describing their deployment against unarmed demonstrators as unconstitutional.
“To every soldier here, your duty does not include being deployed against peaceful protesters. Before you act, ask yourself whether what you are doing is constitutional,” Yesufu said.
She questioned why troops were stationed at the National Assembly while communities facing security threats were left exposed, referencing past terror attacks that resulted in mass casualties.
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“There are places where citizens are under serious threat, yet soldiers are deployed here. We have seen what happens when terrorists strike unchecked,” she added.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Police Force barricaded major roads leading to the National Assembly ahead of an emergency plenary session on Tuesday.
The protest, which began on Monday, is being led by Yesufu alongside several civil society organisations calling for a reversal of the Senate’s position on the Electoral Act amendment.
Former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi also joined the protest with his son, accusing the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of opposing electronic transmission of results out of fear of losing elections.
Amaechi urged opposition parties, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC), to unite with civil society groups in pressing for electoral reforms.
The demonstrations followed the Senate’s decision to retain Clause 60(3) of the Electoral Act amendment bill, which allows the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to transmit results “as it prescribes,” rather than mandating real-time upload to the IREV portal.
The Senate also rejected proposals for stricter penalties on vote-buying, a move that has drawn criticism from opposition figures and election observers.
While Senate President Godswill Akpabio later clarified that electronic transmission was not entirely rejected, critics argue that removing the “real-time” requirement weakens electoral transparency and leaves room for manipulations.
