Nigerian youths on Monday took to the streets of Abuja, staging an “Occupy National Assembly” protest to oppose the Senate’s decision to reject the electronic transmission of election results.
The protesters, who converged in large numbers, expressed anger over the lawmakers’ stance, insisting that e-transmission is critical to ensuring credible and transparent elections in the country.
Security around the protest area was noticeably tight, with personnel deployed from the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigerian Army, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps to maintain order.
The demonstration follows the Senate’s recent decision to throw out a proposed amendment to Clause 60, subsection 3 of the Electoral Amendment Bill. The amendment would have made the electronic transmission of election results mandatory nationwide.
At the time of filing this report, the protesters had commenced a peaceful march from the Federal Secretariat and were heading towards the gates of the National Assembly, chanting slogans and carrying placards to press home their demands.
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