Human rights activist Aisha Yesufu has renewed her call for mandatory real-time electronic transmission of election results, while sharply criticising the deployment of soldiers to a peaceful protest at Nigeria’s National Assembly in Abuja.
Speaking on Tuesday at the protest ground, where demonstrators gathered under the banner of the “Occupy National Assembly” campaign, Yesufu accused lawmakers of undermining electoral transparency by rejecting a clause that would require real-time electronic transmission of results.
“All we are asking for is real-time electronic transmission of electoral results,” she told protesters. “We are here, waiting for the lawmakers we elected and sent to Abuja to pass the bill the way it should be passed. Citizens are simply demanding electronic transmission, in real time. I see no reason why that should be a problem.”
Yesufu also condemned the presence of military personnel at the protest, describing their deployment against unarmed demonstrators as unconstitutional and inappropriate.
“To every soldier brought here today, know that your presence here is unconstitutional,” she said. “Your job description does not include standing against peaceful protesters. Before you pull a trigger or fire a canister, ask yourself: is what you’re doing constitutional or unconstitutional?”
Drawing attention to Nigeria’s broader security challenges, Yesufu questioned why soldiers were stationed at a protest instead of being deployed to areas facing violent threats.
“There are soldiers who should be in Kwara, defending the people, yet they are here,” she said. “Terrorists issued threats just yesterday. The last time such threats were made, over 200 people were killed. They operated freely from sunset to sunrise.”
Her remarks drew applause from demonstrators, as calls for electoral transparency and civilian rights echoed across the protest ground.
