On February 3rd, 2026, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) took to the streets of Abuja in what may prove to be the most consequential protest of this political season. Their demand is simple and non-negotiable: the Electoral Bill must guarantee real-time electronic transmission of election results.
The NLM stands unequivocally with the NLC on this issue.
The ambiguities in the current Electoral Bill are not accidental. They are deliberate loopholes designed to allow the manipulation of election results between polling units and collation centers—the dark corridor where Nigerian elections have historically been rigged.
Real-time transmission of results is the single most important safeguard against electoral fraud. When results are transmitted electronically from the polling unit the moment they are counted, there is no room for manipulation. When they are carried manually in envelopes through checkpoints and back roads, anything can happen—and in Nigeria, everything does.
The NLC has threatened mass action or an election boycott if these ambiguities are not resolved. The NLM goes further: we call on every Nigerian to treat this as the defining battle for the 2027 elections.
Consider the stakes: - 93 million registered voters could see their votes rendered meaningless if results can be manipulated in transit. - The PDP is imploding from internal crises. The APC is consolidating power. Without credible elections, Nigeria is heading toward de facto one-party rule. - The International IDEA has already flagged Nigeria's democracy as being under severe pressure.
The NLM demands: - Unambiguous provisions for mandatory electronic transmission of results in the Electoral Bill. - The deletion of all clauses that give INEC discretion to determine "network coverage" as a basis for reverting to manual transmission. - A citizens' oversight mechanism for the entire electoral technology infrastructure. - Criminal penalties for any official who attempts to manipulate electronically transmitted results.
The NLM reminds every legislator: we are watching. Your vote on this Bill will determine whether Nigeria remains a democracy or becomes an autocracy with democratic decoration. Choose wisely.
