Following the rejection of e-transmission of election results by the Senate, some Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and Nigerian youths have converged on Abuja for the “Occupy National Assembly” protest.
There is however a heavy security presence at the scene, with personnel drawn from the Nigerian Army, the Nigeria Police Force and personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.
In spite of the heavy security presence, the protesters were seen marching from the Federal Secretariat and braazingly heading towards the National Assembly gate.
The former Governor of Anambra State and a Chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and other critical stakeholders later joined the protesters to demand for the passgae of the e-transmission of the election results.
The protests followed the stand of the Godwin Akpbio-led leadership of the Senate to pass the recommendation of the Report of the Senate Committee that favoured the e-transmission of election results in line with the ruling of the Supreme Court on the issue of transfer of election results as against transmission.
The Senate last week Wednesday specifically turned down a proposed change to Clause 60, sub-section 3 of the Electoral Amendment Bill that sought to make electronic transmission of election results compulsory.
