ELECTORAL ACT: EL-RUFAI SAYS HE WOULD’VE JOINED OBI’S PROTEST AT NASS
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By: Balogun Ibrahim
A former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has said he would have joined the protest led by former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, at the National Assembly if he were in Nigeria.
El-Rufai made the statement on Monday during an interview with The Media from Egypt, where he faulted the Senate’s decision to amend provisions on the electronic transmission of election results in the proposed Electoral Act.
He said it was regrettable that he had been unable to return to the country, noting that he would have joined Peter Obi and other party leaders in protesting at the National Assembly to demand the restoration of real-time, mandatory transmission of results from polling units.
The former governor said real-time electronic transmission of results is essential to curbing electoral malpractice and strengthening public trust in the electoral process.
He described the hesitation and delays surrounding the reform as politically motivated, arguing that adopting real-time electronic transmission would significantly reduce rigging and enhance the credibility of elections. El-Rufai accused the ruling party of opposing the measure for what he termed survival interests.
He also observed that the House of Representatives appeared more open to the reform, while the Senate had yet to fully align with it.
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His remarks came in the wake of a protest led by Obi on Monday at the National Assembly complex in Abuja, following the Senate’s decision to delete the phrase “real-time” from provisions on electronic transmission of results in the Electoral Act Amendment Bill.
The protest, tagged Occupy the National Assembly, was organised by Nigerian youths and pro-democracy groups, who alleged that the lawmakers’ move was intended to weaken electoral transparency ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Last week, the Senate passed the Electoral Act 2022 (Repeal and Re-enactment) Amendment Bill, 2026, through third reading. The removal of the term “real-time” has since sparked controversy, with critics warning that the change could create loopholes for post-election manipulation.
Although the Senate later insisted it had not scrapped electronic transmission of results, protesters argued that removing the phrase “real-time electronic transmission” weakens the integrity of the reform.
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