Protesters on Monday began converging at the entrance of the National Assembly in Abuja for the “Occupy National Assembly” protest.
There was a heavy security presence at the scene, with personnel drawn from the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigerian Army and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.
The protest is against the backdrop of the Senate’s position on the electronic transmission of election results.
Although the Senate has issued several clarifications following reports that it rejected electronic transmission of results, the protesters insist that lawmakers must be explicit by including the phrase “real-time electronic transmission” in the proposed legislation.
Members of civil society organisations, a handful of opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC) members and some women’s groups gathered at the entrance of the National Assembly for the protest.
The police barricaded the entrance to the National Assembly ahead of the demonstration.
Some members of the civil society groups, who spoke to newsmen, said the protesters do not intend to enter the National Assembly premises, as the protest is expected to take place mainly at the gate.
The protesters also began marching from the Federal Secretariat towards the National Assembly entrance.
