Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force on Tuesday fired tear gas at demonstrators who gathered at the National Assembly complex, Abuja, to press for the compulsory inclusion of real-time electronic transmission of election results in the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, 2026.
The protesters, comprising civil society groups and pro-democracy advocates, had resumed their rally after observing a five-day pause.
The break followed assurances reportedly given by lawmakers during plenary last week.
Trouble started when the crowd attempted to move closer to the main entrance of the complex, chanting solidarity songs and demanding that lawmakers retain provisions mandating real-time electronic transmission of results.
Police operatives responded by deploying tear gas canisters to disperse the gathering, forcing many protesters to flee the scene.
The development comes on the heels of last Tuesday’s emergency sitting of the Senate, convened to reconsider its earlier decision on Clause 60(3) of the proposed amendment bill, which had sparked widespread criticism.
During the heated session, the Senate Chief Whip, Tahir Monguno, representing Borno North, moved a motion seeking the removal of the phrase “real-time” from the clause.
He also proposed substituting the word “transmission” with “transfer,” a recommendation that drew backlash from electoral reform groups and several civil society organisations.
Critics argued that deleting “real-time” could weaken transparency in the electoral process, while supporters of the amendment insist the change is aimed at addressing technical and legal concerns surrounding electronic collation of results.
As of the time of filing this report, there was no official statement from the police authorities on the use of force, while protesters vowed to continue pressing their demands until the contentious provision is restored in full.
