HURIWA CALLS FOR PEACEFUL PROTESTS AS SENATE DROPS REAL-TIME RESULT UPLOAD

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has expressed strong opposition to the Senate’s passage of the Electoral Bill 2026 without a provision mandating the real-time electronic transmission of election results, describing the decision as a setback to electoral transparency and democratic accountability.

In a statement issued on Monday, HURIWA said it was “shocked and deeply concerned” that the Senate rejected amendments compelling the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to upload polling unit results in real time, a reform the group considers critical to preventing electoral manipulation.

The rights group declared its support for peaceful mass protests demanding the immediate inclusion of real-time electronic transmission of results in the amended law. It also urged security agencies not to disrupt demonstrators, stressing that peaceful protest is a constitutionally guaranteed right.

“HURIWA calls on Nigerians participating in these protests to remain peaceful and law-abiding, while urging the police and other security agencies to respect citizens’ rights to peaceful assembly,” the group said.

HURIWA further cautioned Senate President Godswill Akpabio against viewing public opposition to the bill as intimidation of the National Assembly, arguing instead that it reflects legitimate advocacy for electoral reforms capable of strengthening democracy and public trust in elections.

According to the organisation, citizens and civil society groups, including HURIWA, have converged on Abuja for the “Occupy National Assembly” protest to challenge the Senate’s rejection of compulsory real-time result transmission.

The group also raised concerns over what it described as heavy deployment of security personnel drawn from the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigerian Army, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps at protest venues. It questioned why security agencies, already stretched by counterterrorism and internal security challenges, were being deployed to monitor peaceful demonstrations.

HURIWA warned against the use of force on protesters, citing past incidents of violent crackdowns, and called on the federal government to ensure that demonstrations remain peaceful and unhindered.

The protests follow the Senate’s decision last Wednesday to reject an amendment to Clause 60 of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, which sought to compel presiding officers to transmit polling unit results electronically to INEC’s Result Viewing (IReV) portal in real time.

Instead, lawmakers retained provisions from the 2022 Electoral Act, which allow results to be transmitted electronically after votes are counted and announced at polling units.

HURIWA argued that retaining the existing framework fails to address long-standing flaws in Nigeria’s electoral process, including result manipulation and falsification, which it said were evident in previous elections, particularly2023 general polls.

The group dismissed arguments that poor telecommunications infrastructure justified the rejection of real-time transmission, describing them as “untenable” and warning that the decision could worsen voter apathy and undermine confidence in future elections.

It recalled that the ongoing electoral amendment process began with joint public hearings by the Senate and House of Representatives Committees on Electoral Matters in October 2025, during which lawmakers and stakeholders pledged to introduce reforms to enhance transparency, accountability, and voter participation.

While acknowledging that the Senate approved some amendments such as: reducing election timelines, increasing fines for unlawful possession of voter cards, and formally adopting the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS). HURIWA said these changes fall short without compulsory real-time result transmission.

The Senate also rejected proposals allowing electronically generated voter identification with QR codes, opting to retain the Permanent Voter’s Card (PVC) as the sole accreditation document.

At the centre of the controversy is Section 60 of the bill, which governs result transmission. Senators voted down a recommendation that would have required presiding officers to upload signed result forms to the IReV portal immediately after collation at polling units.

HURIWA warned that if the bill is signed into law without mandating real-time electronic transmission, the 2027 general elections could be marred by irregularities, post-election litigation, and potential unrest.

“Free and fair elections are the foundation of democracy,” the group said, adding that credible elections require transparent voting, accurate counting, and timely publication of results.

The statement was signed by Comrade Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko, National Coordinator of the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria.