#OccupyNASS: Utomi, Bugaje, others demand electoral reforms

A coalition of civic leaders, intellectuals, and labour veterans on Monday declared a line in the sand for Nigeria’s democracy, announcing nationwide protests to force mandatory electoral reforms ahead of the 2027 general elections.

At a world press conference held at the Lagos Airport Hotel, the Movement for Credible Elections (MCE) specifically unveiled a radical 12-point charter of demands, warning that the country’s current political fragility could lead to total collapse if the National Assembly continues to stall on critical amendments.

Led by Dr Usman Bugaje, a former member of the House of Representatives, the MCE is demanding a total departure from manual processes.

The coalition’s primary demand is the mandatory electronic transmission of results from polling units to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV).

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“The current ambiguity is being exploited to justify manual interference. Without decisive reforms, the 2027 elections face a crisis of legitimacy that will open the doors to political instability,” Bugaje stated.

The MCE’s charter of demands includes: Removing all discretionary powers from INEC regarding electronic results, amending the law to ensure all election petitions are concluded before winners take the oath of office, automatic loss of seat for any elected official who defects to another party, and removing the President’s power to unilaterally appoint INEC leadership, favouring a merit-based process as proposed by the Justice Uwais Report.

In a scathing contribution, renowned political economist Professor Pat Utomi described the state of the nation as dangerously on the brink.

He called for a “State Capture” commission, similar to South Africa’s Zondo Commission, and urged the prosecution of legislators frustrating reforms on charges of treasonable felony.

“If these demands are not implemented, we must take it that the powers-that-be are ready for war with the Nigerian people,” Utomi warned.

He specifically challenged the complicit middle, those staying silent, warning that they would not be spared by what he termed the coming fire of public resentment.

Former NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, emphasised that the movement is a rare convergence of labour, intellect, and civil society.

“The political agenda is broken,” Wabba said, noting that the Occupy NASS protests scheduled for Monday, February 9, 2026, are just the beginning of a sustained civic action.

Adding legal weight to the demands, former SDP presidential candidate Adewole Adebayo slammed the National Assembly for playing what he described as “monkey games” with the wording of the Electoral Act.

He argued that the word “transmission” must be codified to ensure it is legally binding, rather than leaving it to INEC’s whims.