ABUJA — The green chambers of the National Assembly were transformed into a scene of pandemonium on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, as the House of Representatives descended into a shouting match over the “fast-tracked” passage of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill.
In a session that many have described as a “legislative ambush,” Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu presided over a clause-by-clause review that lasted only minutes, leading to a dramatic walkout by opposition members who branded the process a “sham.”
The “Rapid-Fire” Gavel
The controversy erupted when Deputy Speaker Kalu began the review of the bill. According to eyewitnesses and video footage from the plenary, Kalu adopted a “lightning-speed” approach, merely mentioning the number of each clause before hitting the gavel and moving to the next.
Members of the minority caucus erupted in fury, claiming they were being denied the right to read, review, or debate the content of the clauses. The speed of the proceedings effectively blocked lawmakers from raising points of order or challenging the language of the bill, particularly regarding the contentious Clause 60 on the electronic transmission of results.
Walkout and “Thief” Chants
The tension reached a breaking point when it became clear that the House was being steered to abandon its earlier pro-technology stance in favor of the Senate’s version, which allows for manual collation as a backup.
Shouts of “APC Ole! APC Ole!” (APC Thieves) rang through the chamber as opposition members packed their files and stormed out in protest. The Minority Leader, Kingsley Chinda, and others expressed outrage, alleging that the House leadership was “behaving like a branch of the executive” rather than an independent arm of government.
“Political Slavery”—Nigerians Blast the Deputy Speaker
As news and videos of the rowdy session hit the internet, Nigerians were swift and scathing in their criticism. The conduct of the Deputy Speaker has become a focal point of national anger.
- “Gaveling Away Democracy”: “How can you pass a law that affects 200 million people by just hitting a gavel in two seconds?” queried a civil rights activist on X. “Benjamin Kalu has shown that he is more interested in pleasing the powers at Aso Rock than protecting the votes of Nigerians.”
- “A Dishonorable House”: Many critics took to social media to label the lawmakers “political slaves,” arguing that Kalu’s performance was a “thank-you gesture” to the Presidency for his privileged position. “He is doing the bidding of his masters to ensure that 2027 is as opaque as possible,” noted an Abuja-based political analyst.
- The “Ole” Label: The “APC Ole” chants have trended nationwide, with many Nigerians agreeing with the minority caucus. “When you hide the rules of an election in plain sight, you are telling the people that you intend to steal their mandate,” one Facebook user wrote.
The “Aso Rock” Factor
The rapid adoption of the Senate’s version—which makes real-time electronic transmission optional—is seen by many as a directive from the Presidency. By aligning the House with the Senate, the National Assembly has removed the final hurdle for the Bill to reach President Bola Tinubu’s desk for signature.
While the APC majority remained to “complete” the process after the walkout, the legitimacy of the Bill has been severely bruised. For the millions of Nigerians watching from home, the “speed” of the Deputy Speaker’s gavel has only deepened the suspicion that the rules for 2027 are being written in the dark.
