Protesters Storm National Assembly With Mattresses, Pillows Over Electronic Transmission of Results

Protesters on Tuesday staged an unusual demonstration at the National Assembly complex in Abuja, arriving with mattresses and pillows to press their demand for the mandatory electronic transmission of election results.

The demonstrators, made up of civil society activists and concerned citizens, said the symbolic action was meant to show their resolve to “stay the course” until lawmakers address their demands.

According to them, the protest was aimed at drawing national attention to the need for greater transparency and credibility in Nigeria’s electoral process.

Speaking at the scene, some of the protesters insisted that electronic transmission of results would significantly reduce electoral malpractices, including manipulation during collation.

They called on the National Assembly to ensure that relevant provisions are clearly entrenched in the Electoral Act without loopholes.

“We brought mattresses and pillows to show that this issue is not something we will abandon.

Credible elections are the foundation of democracy, and electronic transmission of results is key to restoring public trust,” one of the protesters said.

Security operatives were deployed around the National Assembly complex to maintain order, while traffic movement in the area was partially affected.

There was no immediate report of violence as the protest remained largely peaceful.