Kwankwasiyya Movement Backs Nationwide Protests Over Electoral Act Amendment
The Kwankwasiyya Movement has thrown its weight behind the ongoing nationwide protests against the Nigerian Senate’s decision to amend the Electoral Act in a manner critics say weakens provisions for the real-time electronic transmission of election results.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the movement’s spokesperson, Dr. Habibu Sale Mohammed, described the Senate’s action as retrogressive and a major setback to Nigeria’s democratic development.
He warned that the amendment threatens the gains made over the years in promoting transparent and credible elections.
Mohammed said weakening the safeguards around the electronic transmission of results at a time when public confidence in electoral institutions requires strengthening sends the wrong signal to both Nigerians and the international community.
According to him, many citizens view the move as a deliberate attempt to reopen avenues for electoral manipulation and undermine the will of the people.
The Kwankwasiyya Movement also aligned itself with the positions of several civil society and governance organisations that have opposed the Senate’s decision. These include the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) through its Election Analysis Centre (CEMESO), the Kukah Centre, and the International Press Centre (IPC).
Mohammed noted that the organisations have consistently urged the Senate to adopt the position earlier taken by the House of Representatives in support of real-time electronic transmission of election results, stressing that the matter transcends partisan politics and constitutes a national democratic imperative.
He further commended Nigerians across political, ethnic, and religious divides who have continued to mobilise peacefully against what he described as legislative regression.
He praised the contributions of civil society groups, professional bodies, opposition parties, the Obedient Movement, other youth-led movements, and pro-democracy platforms.
Reiterating the movement’s position, Mohammed stressed that credible elections are dependent on transparent and verifiable processes, adding that real-time electronic transmission of results has become a minimum democratic standard.
He urged protesters nationwide to remain peaceful and law-abiding, describing the struggle for credible elections as central to Nigeria’s democratic future.
According to him, the campaign must be pursued with unity, discipline, and unwavering commitment to safeguard the country’s democracy.
