ABUJA — The gates of the National Assembly were transformed into a sea of placards and chants on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, as former Education Minister and #FixPolitics founder, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, joined a high-powered coalition of civil society activists to demand a “bulletproof” 2026 Electoral Act.
Standing alongside former Minister Solomon Dalung and activist Omoyele Sowore, Ezekwesili declared that the credibility of the 2027 General Elections hinges entirely on one factor: the mandatory, real-time electronic transmission of results from polling units.
The “Non-Negotiable” Demand
Addressing a crowd of demonstrators from the Situation Room, ActionAid, and TAF Africa, Ezekwesili was unequivocal in her message to the lawmakers currently debating the amendment.
“Mandatory, real-time electronic transmission of election results is non-negotiable if Nigeria must conduct credible polls in 2027,” Ezekwesili told reporters at the barricaded entrance. “Any discretionary clause that allows for a manual backup is simply a backdoor for the manipulation of the people’s mandate during collation.”
The Clause 60(3) Conflict
The protest, now in its second consecutive week, centers on the growing rift between the Senate and the House of Representatives over the wording of Clause 60(3).
- The Senate’s “Transfer” Trap: Activists accused the Senate of diluting the bill by using the word “transfer” instead of “transmission” and insisting on manual collation as a primary fallback.
- The House’s Tech Push: Conversely, the House of Representatives has pushed for a fully compulsory, real-time system with no manual exceptions.
- The India Example: Leaders like Jake Epelle (TAF Africa) and Andrew Mamedu (ActionAid) cited India’s electronic voting success to argue that Nigeria has no technical excuse to remain in the “manual dark ages.”
“They Are Scared of the Truth”—Nigerians Blast the Senate
As images of the “Iron Lady” at the National Assembly gates went viral, Nigerians across the country—and particularly those in the diaspora—unleashed a wave of criticism against the APC-led Senate.
- “Planning the Next Steal”:Â “If the Senate is fighting so hard against real-time transmission, it tells you exactly what they have planned for 2027,” tweeted one popular analyst. “They aren’t legislating for the people; they are legislating for their own survival.”
- “Aso Rock Puppets”: Critics on social media blasted Senate President Godswill Akpabio, accusing the red chamber of acting as a “rubber stamp” for the Presidency. “They claim there is ‘no network’ for our votes, but they have full bars to receive their multi-million naira ‘holiday’ allowances,” another resident noted.
- Voter Apathy Warning: Many Nigerians warned that if the “manual loophole” remains, they will simply stay at home in 2027. “Why queue for hours only for a ‘Collation Officer’ to change the numbers in a dark room? If it’s not electronic, it’s not an election,” a Facebook user wrote.
The Pressure Mounts
With security forces maintaining a heavy presence at the complex, the civil society coalition has vowed to “occupy” the space until the Joint Conference Committee adopts the House’s stronger version of the bill.
For Ezekwesili and her fellow activists, the message to the National Assembly is simple: rise above partisan interests, or face a total collapse of public trust in the Nigerian democratic project.
