OccupyNASS Protesters Make Five Demands On Electoral Reforms To Lawmakers

By Samuel Sunday 

Protesters operating under the banner of OccupyNASS has mounted pressure on the National Assembly on Monday, staging a protest at the entrance of the National Assembly and demanding for some far-reaching reforms to Nigeria’s Electoral Act 2025.

The OccupyNASS movement, which derives its name from “Occupy National Assembly,” is driven by civil society organisations and pro-democracy advocates who uses peaceful protests to draw national attention to governance failures and legislative decisions affecting democratic accountability.

The group led by a Non – Governmental Organization named Situation Room and Motion Nigeria, the protesters presented five key demands and urged lawmakers to act decisively to protect the integrity of future elections in the Country. 

Central to their demands is the mandatory real-time electronic transmission of election results. 

The protesters insisted that election results must be transmitted electronically and uploaded directly to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s Result Viewing Portal, IReV, arguing that electronic transmission reduces manipulation and strengthens transparency in the electoral process.

They also called for a reversal of the shortened election notice period, and a return to the 360-day statutory timeline. 

According to them, longer timelines give political parties, voters, and the electoral umpire adequate time to prepare, while limiting administrative loopholes that often undermine elections.

Another major demand focused on the legislative process itself. The protesters urged the Conference Committee of the National Assembly to retain what they described as progressive provisions earlier agreed upon by the Joint Committees, warning against last-minute changes that could weaken the bill.

Addressing both chambers of the legislature, the group challenged lawmakers to demonstrate statesmanship by prioritising national interest over partisan considerations, noting that the credibility of Nigeria’s democracy rests heavily on the outcome of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill.

“The Nigerian people are watching,” the protesters said, stressing that decisions taken by the National Assembly on electoral reforms will shape public trust in future elections.

The demands were formally directed at the Nigerian Senate and the House of Representatives as public pressure continues to mount for reforms that strengthen electoral transparency and safeguard the vote.

As deliberations on the bill continue, the OccupyNASS protesters maintained that any failure to mandate electronic transmission of results and restore adequate election timelines would represent a significant setback for Nigeria’s democratic process.