Activist Sowore Omoyele has accused the Nigerian Police force personnel of firing ‘poisonous’, gas to disperse protesters at the National Assembly complex in Abuja, the federal capital territory.
Speaking to newsmen, Sowore described the police action as a direct attack on democracy.
The former presidential candidate added that the protesters were merely demanding access to the gallery during an emergency session, arguing that citizens should have the right to monitor proceedings within the National Assembly.
“This has translated to a declaration of war on Nigerians, a war against participatory democracy. For the first time, the police were using compressed containers that penetrate through your skin. We were fired with a poison gas. El-Rufai said they(Nigerian authorities) imported some colourless, odourless gas. Maybe this is the first place they want to use it. Over two people have collapsed, and we’re calling on Nigerians to head down to the National Assembly.
“We were asking them, when you visit from another country, you have access to the capitol hall. Why can’t we get into our own National Assembly without being separated from the so-called elected representatives of the people? We must be part of the gallery where the emergency meeting is holding so we can monitor what is within our rights as citizens,” he said.
He maintained that with the action of the police, they won’t relent until their aim was attained.
All attempts to speak with the Force Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Police Force, Benjamin Hundeyin, proved abortive.
Meanwhile, chaos erupted at the House of Representatives on Tuesday after lawmakers clashed over a motion aimed at rescinding real-time electronic transmission of election results in the recently passed Electoral Act Amendment Bill.
The tension erupted during plenary when the Chairman of the House Committee on Rules and Business, Francis Waive, introduced a motion seeking to reverse the chamber’s earlier approval of real-time electronic transmission of election results, which contradicts what the House had passed on December 23, 2025.
The proposal immediately divided the House, setting the stage for a heated exchange.
When the Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas, subjected the motion to a voice vote, the chamber responded with loud and conflicting shouts of “ayes” and “nays,” according to TheCable.
Although the “nays” appeared to dominate, the Speaker ruled in favour of the “ayes,” declaring the motion carried.
His decision was met with sharp protests from several lawmakers, who shouted in disagreement and demanded a clearer determination of the vote.
The uproar intensified as members accused the presiding officer of ignoring the majority voice in the chamber.
In an attempt to restore order, the Speaker proposed moving into a closed-door executive session.
However, that suggestion was also resisted by some lawmakers. Despite the objections, Abbas directed that the House proceed into executive session, further escalating tensions.
The controversial amendment in question relates to the electronic transmission of election results.
In December 2025, the House approved a provision mandating the real-time upload of polling unit results to the Independent National Electoral Commission Result Viewing Portal (IReV).
The adopted clause stipulates that presiding officers must electronically transmit results from each polling unit to the IReV portal immediately after completing and signing the prescribed Form EC8A, with countersignatures from candidates or polling agents where available.
The move to revisit the amendment has sparked concerns among observers, who see the real-time transmission provision as a critical safeguard for electoral transparency.
SaharaReporters had reported that on February 10, 2026, the Senate amended the Electoral Act, altering Section 60 to mandate electronic transmission of election results to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) Result Viewing Portal (IREV), while simultaneously creating a major loophole that allows manual result sheets to prevail where electronic transmission fails.
Under the revised provision, presiding officers at polling units are required to electronically transmit results to the IREV portal after the completion of voting.
However, the amendment provides that where electronic transmission is unsuccessful due to communication or network failure, the manual result sheet — Form EC8A — shall become the primary basis for collation and declaration of results.
The amendment has intensified concerns among civil society groups and opposition figures, who argue that allowing manual results to supersede electronically transmitted results undermines electoral transparency and opens the process to manipulation, particularly in areas with poor network coverage.
