ABUJA – A coalition of civil society organisations and organised labour under the Movement for Credible Elections (MCE) staged a massive protest at the National Assembly on Tuesday, calling for urgent constitutional and legislative reforms to guarantee transparent and credible elections ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The protest brought together governance advocates, labour leaders, youth groups, and electoral reform campaigners, who warned that failure by lawmakers to enact mandatory reforms could deepen political instability and erode public trust in Nigeria’s democratic institutions.
Call for Mandatory Electronic Transmission of Results
Central to the protest was the demand for real-time electronic transmission of polling unit results to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Result Viewing Portal. The coalition accused lawmakers of weakening the reform by allowing discretionary clauses that could enable manual interference with election results.
Former SDP presidential candidate Prince Adewale Adebayo read the group’s address, signed by MCE leadership including Dr Usman Bugaje, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, Amb Nkoyo Toyo, and other national coordinators. The coalition emphasized that mandatory electronic transmission is essential to eliminate vote manipulation and safeguard the integrity of the 2027 elections.
Twelve-Point Electoral Reform Agenda
Beyond electronic transmission, MCE outlined a comprehensive twelve-point reform plan, including:
- Strengthening provisions of the Electoral Act 2022 to clarify accreditation, collation, and declaration processes
- Harsher penalties for electoral offences such as vote buying, intimidation, and destruction of materials
- Statutory funding guarantees and institutional independence for INEC
- Independent audits of electoral technology
- Expanded political participation for youth, women, persons with disabilities, and Nigerians in the diaspora
- Early voting for essential service providers
- Transparent party primaries and strict compliance with party finance regulations
- Constitutional amendments for pre-election resolution of petitions
- Measures to curb political defections and enforce merit-based appointments in INEC leadership
Labour Movement Endorses Protest
Organised labour leaders, including Joe Ajaero of the Nigeria Labour Congress and Festus Osifo of the Trade Union Congress, endorsed the protest, stressing that credible elections are critical for national stability and governance.
Voices from Civil Society and Religious Leaders
Former Minister of Education Oby Ezekwesili described attempts to weaken mandatory electronic transmission as a “coup against democracy,” warning that discretionary provisions in the Senate version of the bill could facilitate election rigging.
“Every vote must count, and the only way to ensure that is through mandatory, real-time electronic transmission of results. Anything short of that is unacceptable,” she said.
Meanwhile, Prophet Isah EL-Buba of the Evangelical Bible Outreach Ministries International urged nationwide mobilisation and active civic participation, calling on young Nigerians to lead the charge against electoral injustice.
“Each time Nigeria had a little bit of consciousness, there’s always an uprising before it. I think we are due for another uprising, and the only way to get this is to organise and confront these people,” he said.
Democracy at a Crossroads
The coalition stressed that Nigeria stands at a critical democratic crossroads, with electoral credibility forming the foundation for good governance, improved security, and socio-economic progress. MCE vowed to continue peaceful nationwide protests under its Occupy National Assembly campaign until comprehensive electoral reforms are enacted.
“2027 must not mark the end of our democracy. Any election that lacks credibility will not be acceptable to Nigerians. We must confront this nonsense and demand accountability,” Ezekwesili added.
