ABUJA: Tension surrounding Nigeria’s newly enacted Electoral Act 2026 spilled onto the streets of the Federal Capital Territory on Friday as scores of demonstrators staged a peaceful solidarity protest in support of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The protesters, operating under the aegis of the Arewa Grassroots Leaders Assembly (AGLA), marched from the National Assembly complex to the INEC headquarters in Abuja, expressing confidence in the electoral body and urging it to remain focused ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Carrying placards with inscriptions such as Chairman, Stay the Course, We Support Free and Fair Elections, and Defend Democracy, the demonstrators said their rally was aimed at encouraging, rather than condemning, the electoral umpire.
The protest came barely 24 hours after the Senate rejected calls for a fresh amendment to the Electoral Act 2026.
Opposition political figures, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi, and former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, had demanded an immediate review of the law, describing aspects of it as potentially anti-democratic ahead of the 2027 polls.
However, the Senate advised aggrieved stakeholders to channel their concerns through established legislative procedures rather than public agitation.
Speaking during the protest, AGLA National President, Collins Onogu, said the gathering was organised to commend INEC for what he described as measurable progress in electoral administration since the current leadership assumed office in October 2025.
We have gathered peacefully today not in condemnation but in commendation. Nigeria sees the progress being made, and we encourage the Commission to continue on this path,” he said.
Onogu noted that within a short period, INEC had successfully conducted several electoral exercises, including the Anambra State governorship election, the Federal Capital Territory Area Council elections, as well as bye-elections in Kano and Rivers states.
According to him, domestic and international observers rated the elections largely peaceful, transparent and technologically improved.
He further commended the commission for enhanced logistics deployment, improved security coordination, inclusion of persons with disabilities, and increased youth participation as ad-hoc electoral staff.
The group also highlighted improvements to INEC’s Result Viewing Portal (IReV), noting better server stability, faster upload speeds and enhanced transparency that allowed citizens and political parties to monitor results in near real time.
Onogu urged the electoral body to sustain reforms by investing in backup transmission networks capable of operating in areas with limited internet connectivity.
