El-Rufai Throws Weight Behind Electoral Act Protest, Slams Senate

Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has stated that if he had been in the nation, he would have participated in the demonstration against the National Assembly spearheaded by Peter Obi, a former presidential candidate for the Labour Party.

In a Monday interview with Trust TV, El-Rufai criticized the Senate for changing the proposed Electoral Act revisions’ provisions on the electronic transmission of election results, arguing that real-time transmission is crucial to avoiding manipulation.

He claims that the reform’s opposition and delay are politically driven and intended to maintain electoral advantages.

“I regret that I was unable to travel back to Nigeria; I would have joined Mr. Peter Obi and other party leaders in demonstrating before the National Assembly to reinstate the mandatory and real-time transmission of polling station results,” El-Rufai stated.

He claimed the ruling party was against the move for survival reasons and that implementing real-time electronic transmission would greatly reduce election rigging and increase election credibility.

The former governor also pointed out that although the House of Representatives had supported the reform, the Senate had not yet given it its complete support.

It had stated that Obi led hundreds of demonstrators to the National Assembly Complex in Abuja on Monday to protest the Senate’s decision to strike the word “real-time” from the Electoral Act Amendment Bill’s provisions on electronic results transmission.

The Obidient Movement and pro-democracy organizations organized the demonstration, which was dubbed “Occupy the National Assembly.” They claimed that the MPs’ conduct was a planned attempt to undermine electoral transparency in advance of the general elections in 2027.

After a third reading last week, the Senate approved the Electoral Act 2022 (Repeal and Reenactment) Amendment Bill, 2026. However, the removal of the term “real-time” from portions pertaining to electronic results transmission sparked controversy, as some argue that this creates an opportunity for post-election manipulation.

Demonstrators maintain that eliminating “real-time electronic transmission” leaves gaps that could be exploited, notwithstanding the Senate’s later clarifications that it did not completely eliminate electronic transmission.

Protesters held signs that read, “Our votes must count,” “No to electoral robbery,” and “Protect democracy now” as they marched from the Federal Secretariat to the National Assembly while chanting solidarity songs.

Protesters were forced to hold their rally outside the main gate after security personnel from the Nigeria Police Force, Nigerian Army, and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps blocked access to the compound.

Speaking to reporters at the event, Obi emphasized that legitimate elections continue to be the cornerstone of national growth and cautioned that Nigeria’s democratic progress was in jeopardy.

He declared, “We have to put an end to this criminality and demonstrate that we are a country that shines in Africa.”

The former governor of Anambra also urged legislators to enact legislation ensuring results are transmitted electronically.

“There was an evident danger. We have had to endure the risk. That is what we have endured in the past. We do not wish for another glitch. That’s it. We want everything to return to normal. “No more glitches,” he continued.