Former Rivers State Governor and immediate past Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, on Tuesday joined protesters in Abuja demonstrating against the Senate’s rejection of mandatory electronic transmission of election results.
The protest, which began on Monday, was organised in response to the Senate’s decision to block real-time electronic transmission of election results, a move critics say could undermine electoral transparency.
Amaechi attended the demonstration alongside his son, a medical doctor. He explained that he brought him along in case the protest turned violent and medical assistance became necessary.
According to the former governor, his presence at the protest with his son was also symbolic, stressing that leaders should be willing to stand at the forefront of major civic actions alongside their families.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC), one of the organisers of the protest, called on Nigerians to rise against the Senate’s decision, urging opposition parties to actively participate in the demonstration.
Amaechi accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of opposing electronic transmission of election results out of fear of electoral defeat.
“I believe that the opposition parties should come out—PDP, ADC, everybody should be out—to protest against the attempt of one party,” Amaechi said.
“If we come out and they say the opposition has hijacked the protest, what is APC doing? Are they not hijacking? What are they afraid of? I thought they said they have 31 governors. Tinubu is not Jonathan.
The only way a good politician will know he has done well is by the people.”
He questioned why the ruling party would be opposed to electronic transmission despite having several opposition governors and prominent politicians defecting to its ranks.
Amaechi further stated that although Senate President Godswill Akpabio and President Bola Tinubu might ignore the demands of protesters, opposition parties and civil society organisations would continue the demonstrations until the decision is reversed.
Meanwhile, operatives of the Nigeria Police Force barricaded major roads leading to the National Assembly ahead of an emergency plenary session scheduled by the Senate on Tuesday.
The protest is being led by human rights activist Aisha Yusuf in collaboration with several civil society organisations that initiated the demonstration on Monday.
