The Rescue Nigeria Alliance on Friday warned the Senate of Nigeria to restore mandatory real time electronic transmission of polling unit results in the amended Electoral Act or face sustained nationwide protests ahead of the 2027 general elections.
At a media briefing in Abuja, the group’s National Chairman, Dr Basil Nwolisa, and National Secretary, Mr Akor Christian Oche, described the National Assembly’s rejection of compulsory real time upload of results as a dangerous setback for democracy.
The alliance said lawmakers, after a clause by clause consideration of 155 provisions in the amendment bill, retained a discretionary provision on electronic transmission instead of making it mandatory. According to the group, this weakens transparency and opens the door to manipulation during manual collation.
“We condemn in the strongest terms the decision to reject mandatory real time electronic transmission of election results. This is a direct on transparency and a reckless gamble with Nigeria’s ility as 2027 approaches,” the group stated.
The alliance has been protesting since February 9, 2026, and called for expanded peaceful civic action from February 16 at and around the National Assembly and other symbolic locations nationwide. It is demanding three key outcomes, mandatory real time electronic transmission of results, full protection of the Independent National Electoral Commission independence and technological safeguards, and rejection of harmonised provisions that weaken transparency.
While acknowledging that the timeline for INEC to publish a notice of election was reduced from 360 to 180 days, the group argued that the most critical safeguard remains enforceable real time transparency.
Framing the 2027 polls as a defining test for Nigeria’s democracy, the alliance emphasised that its mobilisation is constitutional and non violent, pledging to work with civic and political actors nationwide to defend electoral integrity.
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