Members of the House of Representatives walked out of a plenary session on Tuesday amid ongoing public protests over the electronic transmission clause in the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, 2026.
The walk-out came as demonstrators continued to pressure lawmakers to make real-time electronic transmission of election results mandatory in the amended electoral law.
Protesters, drawn from civil society groups including the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room and ActionAid Nigeria, have held demonstrations outside the National Assembly complex, calling on legislators to adopt the stronger House version of the clause.
House members reportedly left the session after intense disagreements on whether to retain or rescind the provision making real-time transmission compulsory.
Lawmakers opposed to scrapping the clause argued it is vital for election transparency, while others favoured aligning with the Senate’s version, which allows discretionary electronic transmission paired with manual collation.
The protests stem from nationwide concern that removing explicit language on real-time electronic transmission could open the door to manipulation or delayed uploads of polling unit results, undermining public trust in the electoral process ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Civil society representatives at the National Assembly gates said they would maintain their demonstrations until lawmakers commit to a version of the bill that guarantees real-time technology in the results system.
They argue that technological infrastructure exists in most parts of Nigeria and that gaps should be resolved rather than used as a reason to revert to manual processes.
The walk-out underscores the growing tension between lawmakers and citizens over electoral reforms, especially the role of technology in strengthening election credibility and transparency.
