ABUJA – The House of Representatives descended into chaos on Tuesday as members of the minority caucus staged a dramatic walkout, chanting “APC Ole” (APC Thief) in protest against the adoption of a controversial clause in the newly proposed electoral framework.
The uproar began during the consideration of Clause 60(3), which seeks to provide for a dual system of result transmission: both real-time electronic transmission and manual transmission.
The friction reached a breaking point when Representative Bamidele Salam moved a motion to delete the provision for manual transmission. Salam argued that retaining manual transmission would create a “legal loophole” that could undermine the technological advancements made by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and damage the credibility of future polls.
“We must move forward, not backward,” Salam argued. “Relying on manual transmission in this age invites the very manipulation we are trying to eliminate.”
The motion was seconded by the Minority Leader, Rep. Kingsley Chinda, who emphasized that electronic transmission should be the sole, mandatory standard to ensure transparency.
However, when the Deputy Speaker put the motion to a voice vote, the “nays” from the majority All Progressives Congress (APC) benches resoundingly prevailed. Despite protests from the opposition that the “ayes” were louder, the presiding officer ruled in favor of the majority, effectively retaining manual transmission in the bill.
Infuriated by the ruling, opposition lawmakers—comprising members of the PDP, LP, and NNPP—rose in unison, disrupted the session with chants of “APC Ole,” and marched out of the green chamber.
Addressing journalists shortly after the walkout, Rep. Chinda stated that the caucus would not be part of a process that “legalizes electoral fraud.”
“We cannot sit back and watch the mandate of Nigerians be compromised by a dual system that allows for manual interference,” he said.
The House leadership has yet to issue an official statement on the walkout, though the remaining members continued the session to consider other clauses of the bill. This development comes as a significant blow to the consensus building required for the Electoral Act amendment ahead of future cycles.
