As the countdown to the November 8 Anambra governorship election intensifies, a civic-tech organisation, Citizen Monitors, has launched an innovative web-based application aimed at promoting transparency and accountability during the poll.
Unveiled on Monday, the platform allows voters to document and monitor election day activities in real-time, transforming ordinary citizens into digital election observers.
According to the group, the app is designed to “make election day clear, not chaotic.”
“This tool empowers citizens to capture, upload, and view live reports from polling units, ensuring that the electoral process is grounded in verified, public evidence,” the group said in a statement.
Users of the app can take photos or videos of election result sheets or notable incidents at their respective polling units.
Each submission is geo-tagged and time-stamped, ensuring credibility and traceability.
Before being displayed on a public dashboard, the uploads are reviewed by fellow users for verification.
The dashboard will feature a live map and real-time ticker showcasing updates from across the state, offering an open-source view of the unfolding electoral process.
Co-founder Adeshope Haastrup emphasized the importance of citizen participation in protecting the integrity of elections.
“Trust grows when people can see the evidence. With this app, Anambra can protect its polling units with facts, not noise,” he said.
Spokesperson for the group, Olajumoke Alawode-James, added:
“It’s simple: see it, record it, verify it. When every unit plays its part, the process becomes safer and more transparent.”
Meanwhile, Anambra State Governor Charles Soludo has raised alarm over alleged behind-the-scenes political maneuvering ahead of the poll.
Speaking during a panel discussion in Abuja on “Innovation in Electoral Technology (2015–2025),” Soludo accused some unnamed politicians of attempting to influence the election by “sleeping in INEC offices.”
“These politicians are trying to manipulate the results of the election even before a single vote is cast,” the governor warned.
He acknowledged progress made in electoral reforms over the past decade but urged political actors to abandon the belief that elections cannot be conducted without manipulation.
“We must discard the Nigerian factor where we think nothing happens without wuruwuru or wayo. If each of us does our part, the system can work.”
