2023 Elections: Group initiates app to tackle sentimental voting

Future Pathways Development Initiative (FPDI) said it has developed an application to help Nigerians vote objectively based on informed knowledge, thereby guarding against sentimental voting based on ethnic, religious, or other grounds.

Executive Director, FPDI, Mr. Ayokunnu Ojerniyi, said at the inauguration of the website on Friday in Abuja that the app was developed in partnership with Data-Lead Africa.

According to Ojerniyi, the website was conceived to bridge the knowledge gap among 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' backgrounds, education, thoughts on certain issues, and all that."

"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 at Data-Lead Africa, said that the organization partnered with FPDI to champion the research component of the "Know Your Candidate" 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 manifestos and collated over a thousand videos from the candidates, dating back as far 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; some 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, we should provide the electorate with objective information so that beyond saying this person is from my tribe or my religion, they can see the plans they have."