Electoral Act: I’d have joined Obi to protest at NASS — El-Rufai
El-Rufai Would Have Joined Protest Against Electoral Act Amendments
Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai expressed his support for a protest led by former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi at the National Assembly, stating he would have participated had he been in Nigeria.
In an interview with Trust TV on Monday, conducted from Egypt, El-Rufai criticized the Senate’s recent decision to amend provisions related to the electronic transmission of election results in the proposed Electoral Act.
“It’s unfortunate I have not been able to return to Nigeria. I would have joined Mr. Peter Obi and other party leaders in protesting to the National Assembly to restore the real-time and mandatory transmission of results from the polling unit,” he said.
El-Rufai emphasized that real-time electronic transmission is essential to curtailing electoral manipulation and enhancing public trust in elections. He contended that the delays in implementing this reform are politically motivated.
“Adopting real-time electronic transmission will drastically reduce rigging and improve the credibility of our elections,” El-Rufai stated, accusing the ruling party of resisting the measure for self-preservation.
He noted that while the House of Representatives seemed more open to the reform, the Senate had not yet fully embraced it.
These comments follow a protest led by Obi at the National Assembly complex in Abuja on Monday, opposing the Senate’s decision to remove the term “real-time” from provisions governing electronic result transmission in the Electoral Act Amendment Bill.
The demonstration, dubbed “Occupy the National Assembly,” was organized by Nigerian youth and pro-democracy advocates who argued that lawmakers’ actions threatened electoral transparency ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Last week, the Senate passed the Electoral Act 2022 (Repeal and Re-enactment) Amendment Bill, 2026, during its third reading. The controversy surrounding the removal of “real-time” has drawn criticism, with observers warning that it could lead to vulnerabilities in post-election processes.
While the Senate has asserted that electronic transmission of results remains in place, protesters maintained that omitting “real-time electronic transmission” undermines the integrity of the electoral reforms.
