By Peter Omopo
Members of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and several civil society organisations (CSOs) on Monday staged a protest at the National Assembly in Abuja over the recently passed Electoral Act Amendment Bill.
The protesters arrived at the entrance of the federal legislature in the early hours of the day, carrying placards with messages such as “Protect Our Votes,” “No to Electoral Manipulation,” and “Pass Electronic Transmission into Law.”
They accused lawmakers of attempting to weaken Nigeria’s electoral process through the amendment, arguing that any changes to the Electoral Act should enhance transparency, credibility and public confidence in elections.
According to the demonstrators, the exclusion or limitation of electronic transmission of election results could undermine the integrity of the voting process and open the door to manipulation.
The protesters called on the National Assembly to reconsider the bill and ensure that electronic transmission of results is fully enshrined in law as a safeguard for credible elections.
