By Angela Atabo
Future Pathways Development Initiative(FPDI) said it has developed an application to help Nigerians to vote objectively based on informed knowledge, thereby guarding against sentimental voting based on ethnic, religious or other grounds.
Executive Director, FPDI, Mr Ayokunnu Ojerniyi, at the inauguration of the website on Friday in Abuja said that the app was developed in partnership with Data-Lead Africa.
According to Ojerniyi, the website was conceived to bridge the knowledge gap of Nigerians regarding the choice of candidates, political parties and their manifestos.
“The web application ‘www.knowyourcandidate.ng’, was designed to enhance the knowledge of Nigerians in making the right decisions ahead of the 2023 General Elections .
“This is because, in Nigeria, people generally vote along party lines, they don’t really care so much about candidates’ background, education , their thoughts on certain issues and all.
“So, we think people should have information about those they want to vote for beyond their parties so they can make better informed decisions, ’he said
Dr Arowolo Ayoola, Lead Partner ,Data-Lead Africa, said that the organisation partnered with FPDI to champion the research component of the know your candidates website project .
Ayoola said that Data-Lead helped to collate information about candidates so that people could better understand them.
He said: “We did data mining of the manifestoes and collated over a thousand videos from the candidates as far back as when they were governors or held their previous appointments.
“This was to see what they were saying then over some of the topical and sectoral issues in all spheres of the economy and what they did when they were in leadership.
“This is because, when it comes to voting, people vote for a lot of reasons ,somebody may just want to vote for a candidate because of his physical appearance, religion or tribe, among others.
“So, we think that to make voting more objective by providing the electorate with objective information so that beyond saying this person is from my tribe ,my religion they can see the plans they have.’’ (NAN)
