Armed police officers on Tuesday dispersed protesters with tear gas at the entrance of the National Assembly Complex in Abuja, disrupting a rally organised to demand mandatory electronic transmission of election results.
The demonstrators, who gathered under the banner #OccupyNASS, were calling for real-time electronic upload of polling unit results to the portal of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to improve transparency and credibility in future elections.
The protest attracted civil society groups, activists, and citizens advocating electoral reforms.
Among prominent figures present were former Minister of Education Oby Ezekwesili, activist and publisher Omoyele Sowore, and former presidential candidate Adewole Adebayo.
Witnesses said the protesters were addressing supporters and urging sustained advocacy when security operatives, reportedly led by the National Assembly Divional Police Officer, moved in to disperse the gathering.
Tear gas canisters were fired into the crowd, causing panic as demonstrators fled coughing and gasping for breath. Several protesters reportedly sustained injuries in the ensuing chaos.
Despite the initial dispersal, protesters regrouped near the Assembly gate in defiance of police action.
Reinforcements, including multiple police vehicles carrying armed personnel, later arrived and fired additional rounds of tear gas to break up the crowd.
The demonstrators chanted slogans including “We no go gree, Akpabio pass the bill” and “Our vote must count,” while carrying placards reading “Don’t alter the bill, pass it” and “Rigging election is a coup.”
Their demands were directed at Senate President Godswill Akpabio and the leadership of the National Assembly, whom they accused of stalling reforms critical to electoral transparency.
Protesters insisted they would continue to push for amendments to the Electoral Act that would mandate immediate electronic transmission of results, arguing the reform is essential to preventing electoral manipulation and restoring public confidence in Nigeria’s democratic process.
As of the time of filing this report, the police had not issued an official statement on the incident.
