Officers of the Nigerian Police Force on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, fired tear gas at demonstrators gathered outside Nigeria’s National Assembly of Nigeria in Abuja, the country’s capital, as tensions rose over proposed changes to the nation’s electoral law.
The protesters had converged on the National Assembly complex to demand that lawmakers retain mandatory real-time electronic transmission of election results in the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, 2026. Civil society groups and electoral reform advocates argue that real-time electronic transmission increases transparency and reduces the risk of manipulation in the announcement of election results.
Video footage circulating on social media platform X showed police officers dispersing the crowd with tear gas canisters. The clip was widely shared on Tuesday afternoon, drawing criticism from some members of the public who accused security forces of using excessive force.
The demonstrators had resumed their protest after a five-day break. They had earlier suspended their action following assurances given during a plenary sitting of the Senate, the upper chamber of Nigeria’s bicameral parliament, on Tuesday, February 10, 2026.
The controversy stems from developments during that session, when the Senate reconvened for an emergency plenary to reconsider its earlier decision on Clause 60(3) of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill. The move followed widespread public outcry over proposed alterations to the wording of the clause.
During the debate, Senate Chief Whip Senator Tahir Monguno, a member of the governing All Progressives Congress representing Borno North Senatorial District in northeastern Nigeria, introduced a motion to remove the phrase “real-time” from the clause. He also proposed replacing the word “transmission” with “transfer”.
The suggested changes sparked criticism from civil society organisations and election monitoring groups, who warned that altering the language could weaken the legal basis for instantaneous electronic reporting of results from polling units to central databases.
Protesters say their demand is straightforward: the law must clearly mandate real-time electronic transmission of results to prevent delays and ensure credibility. They argue that ambiguity in the wording could undermine public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral process ahead of future general elections.
The Nigerian Police Force has not issued a detailed public statement explaining the use of tear gas as of the time of filing this report. However, security agencies in Nigeria often cite crowd control and the need to maintain public order around sensitive government buildings as justification for dispersing demonstrations.
Okay News reports that the dispute over Clause 60(3) has become a focal point in Nigeria’s broader debate over electoral integrity and institutional reform. Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, has faced repeated controversies over election result collation and transmission in previous electoral cycles.
The developments are likely to intensify pressure on lawmakers as the Electoral Act Amendment Bill proceeds through the legislative process. Civil society organisations have indicated that they may continue public demonstrations if their demands are not addressed.
For many Nigerians, the outcome of this debate could shape the credibility of future elections and influence public trust in democratic institutions. What happens next will depend on whether the Senate revisits the wording of the clause again or proceeds with the revised language amid sustained public scrutiny.
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