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.”

Former Minister of Interior and ex-Governor of Osun State, Rauf Aregbesola, has called for a comprehensive overhaul of Nigeria’s electoral system, particularly the structure and leadership of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Speaking at a panel session titled “Innovation in Electoral Technology 2015–2025”, organized by the Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa, Aregbesola warned that Nigeria’s electoral body currently vests too much power in one individual, allowing room for political manipulation.

“The process for appointing those who manage our elections must change,” Aregbesola said.

“As long as that authority rests in one person, there will be no meaningful reform.”

Referencing Soviet leader Joseph Stalin, he added: “Voters matter less than the person who announces the results.”

Aregbesola criticized the centralization of power in the presidency, particularly regarding the appointment of the INEC chairman, noting that such a process undermines electoral neutrality.

“If the main beneficiary of a rigged process is the one nominating the electoral umpire, then the outcome is already prearranged,” he argued.

He proposed that political parties with at least five seats in the National Assembly should have the collective responsibility to nominate INEC leadership, ensuring greater inclusivity, neutrality and public trust.

Admitting that he had previously benefited from Nigeria’s flawed electoral system, Aregbesola emphasized the need for long-overdue structural reform to restore the credibility of elections.

The former governor also urged INEC to strictly comply with the 2022 Electoral Act, especially regarding the transparent deployment of voting technologies.

He stressed the importance of public demonstrations of tools like the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) ahead of elections.

“Don’t just tell us BVAS will be used, show us. Let the public see it in action. Surprise technical failures on election day undermine confidence,” he cautioned.

He further demanded real-time result transmission and publication, citing countries like India, Brazil and Venezuela as examples of best practices that Nigeria should emulate.

Aregbesola also raised concerns about voter register credibility, pointing to the gap between the 93 million registered voters and the roughly 30 million who participated in recent elections.

He proposed that the INEC voter database be synchronized with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) records to eliminate multiple registrations and inflated figures.

To strengthen electoral transparency, he called for party agents and independent observers to be granted closer access to accreditation and result collation processes.

Aregbesola concluded by underscoring that democracy cannot thrive without public trust in the electoral process.

“Without real reforms, we’ll continue recycling flawed elections and disputed outcomes,” he warned.

The Minister of Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, has accused Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State of orchestrating a campaign of blackmail and misinformation regarding his academic qualifications.

Speaking through his Technical Assistant, Dr. Robert Ngwu, at a press briefing in Abuja on Monday, Nnaji alleged that the governor’s actions were motivated by political fear.

According to Ngwu, Mbah is concerned that Nnaji may challenge him in the 2027 Enugu State Governorship election, prompting a smear campaign intended to damage the Minister’s credibility.

Ngwu claimed that the emergence of documents questioning Nnaji’s Bachelor’s degree from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) was part of a politically motivated media attack, citing Premium Times as having published “false and malicious” stories based on a questionable university letter.

He pointed out that the letter contradicted an earlier official response from UNN dated December 21, 2023, which confirmed Nnaji’s graduation from the institution in 1985, with a degree in Microbiology/Biochemistry.

“What changed between December 2023 and May 2025 is the political takeover of the university’s leadership,” Ngwu asserted.

“Two card-carrying members of the PDP were appointed first as Acting Vice-Chancellor and then as the substantive Vice-Chancellor.”

He further argued that, according to academic conventions worldwide, the Registrar, not the Vice-Chancellor, is the legitimate custodian of students’ academic records.

Any contradictory move, he said, “is not only a breach of university protocol but also a clear case of political interference.”

Ngwu also revealed that the Minister had applied for his academic transcripts earlier in the year, but despite a court order, the university has failed to release them.

Defending Nnaji’s credibility, Ngwu highlighted the Minister’s long-standing public service record: Former Commissioner for Education in Enugu State for six years, Former Secretary to the State Government (SSG) and Former Director-General of the Nigerian Governors Forum.

He emphasized that Nnaji underwent rigorous background checks by the DSS and other security agencies prior to his ministerial appointment, during which his certificates were thoroughly vetted and cleared.

“We believe this is an orchestrated effort to tarnish the image of a man who has built his reputation over decades,” Ngwu stated.

“Governor Mbah wants a second term and sees Nnaji as a political threat. We have credible information that he plans to join the APC, and sees removing the Minister as a necessary step to secure his political future.”

Ngwu concluded by reaffirming the Minister’s innocence and his commitment to justice, stating, “Except for his brief political outing in 1999 when he won a Senate seat and stepped down for Senator Jim Nwobodo, Nnaji has largely remained in the private sector, until now. His integrity is not in doubt.”

The Minister of Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, has accused Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State of orchestrating a campaign of blackmail and misinformation regarding his academic qualifications.

Speaking through his Technical Assistant, Dr. Robert Ngwu, at a press briefing in Abuja on Monday, Nnaji alleged that the governor’s actions were motivated by political fear.

According to Ngwu, Mbah is concerned that Nnaji may challenge him in the 2027 Enugu State Governorship election, prompting a smear campaign intended to damage the Minister’s credibility.

Ngwu claimed that the emergence of documents questioning Nnaji’s Bachelor’s degree from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) was part of a politically motivated media attack, citing Premium Times as having published “false and malicious” stories based on a questionable university letter.

He pointed out that the letter contradicted an earlier official response from UNN dated December 21, 2023, which confirmed Nnaji’s graduation from the institution in 1985, with a degree in Microbiology/Biochemistry.

“What changed between December 2023 and May 2025 is the political takeover of the university’s leadership,” Ngwu asserted.

“Two card-carrying members of the PDP were appointed first as Acting Vice-Chancellor and then as the substantive Vice-Chancellor.”

He further argued that, according to academic conventions worldwide, the Registrar, not the Vice-Chancellor, is the legitimate custodian of students’ academic records.

Any contradictory move, he said, “is not only a breach of university protocol but also a clear case of political interference.”

Ngwu also revealed that the Minister had applied for his academic transcripts earlier in the year, but despite a court order, the university has failed to release them.

Defending Nnaji’s credibility, Ngwu highlighted the Minister’s long-standing public service record: Former Commissioner for Education in Enugu State for six years, Former Secretary to the State Government (SSG) and Former Director-General of the Nigerian Governors Forum.

He emphasized that Nnaji underwent rigorous background checks by the DSS and other security agencies prior to his ministerial appointment, during which his certificates were thoroughly vetted and cleared.

“We believe this is an orchestrated effort to tarnish the image of a man who has built his reputation over decades,” Ngwu stated.

“Governor Mbah wants a second term and sees Nnaji as a political threat. We have credible information that he plans to join the APC, and sees removing the Minister as a necessary step to secure his political future.”

Ngwu concluded by reaffirming the Minister’s innocence and his commitment to justice, stating, “Except for his brief political outing in 1999 when he won a Senate seat and stepped down for Senator Jim Nwobodo, Nnaji has largely remained in the private sector, until now. His integrity is not in doubt.”

John Nwosu, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate in the upcoming Anambra State governorship election, has pledged to abolish multiple taxation and overhaul the current revenue collection system if elected on November 8.

Speaking during an online interactive session with members of the Anambra State Association (ASA-USA), Nwosu described the existing revenue system under Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s administration as “crude and unsustainable.”

Nwosu, an Information and Communication Technology (ICT) expert, promised to dismantle the current model, which he said has caused untold hardship to residents and business owners across the state.

He cited the death of Okechukwu Akaname, a former president of the Onitsha Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Agriculture, who allegedly died due to complications following an altercation with revenue enforcement agents.

Nwosu said such incidents are unacceptable and would be eliminated under his leadership.

“Multiple taxation is a major issue in Anambra, especially for small business owners and transport operators. I will end it if elected governor,” Nwosu said.

To address the issue, the ADC candidate outlined plans to implement a fully digital, E-government system that will streamline revenue collection and eliminate the need for street enforcers.

According to him, the technology-driven model would reduce corruption, improve transparency, and ensure that taxes are paid in a seamless, traceable manner.

“With an E-government system, we will remove revenue agents from the streets 100 per cent. No one should be harassed in the name of tax enforcement,” he said.

Nwosu also proposed a regional approach in collaboration with the South-East Governors’ Forum.

He suggested introducing a unified, computerized sticker system for transport operators, which would prevent multiple levies across different states in the region.

“Anyone who registers for our E-Transport system will be free from harassment. The sticker will be scannable with a smartphone to verify authenticity. Revenue will be shared—50% to Anambra, and 50% to the other states,” he explained.

Multiple taxation has long been a burden on Anambra’s economy, especially for traders, small businesses, and transport workers.

Business owners often face not only formal taxes from state and local governments but also informal levies and road-side demands from enforcement agents.

Nwosu’s proposal has gained attention for addressing a widespread concern that many say has stifled growth and increased the cost of doing business in the state.