Group launches tech platform to track politicians’ campaign promises

  A youth-led civic tech group, AdvoKC, has launched a digital platform that would allow citizens to hold elected government officials acc...

 

A youth-led civic tech group, AdvoKC, has launched a digital platform that would allow citizens to hold elected government officials accountable for their campaign promises after elections.

The digital platform called ‘Promise Meter’ was developed to address the gap between government officials and the electorate on effective service delivery.

The platform was launched on Saturday after months of beta testing.

In a statement after the launch, the group explained that the ‘Promise Meter’ would allow people, who voted for a prefered candidate based on their needs, to track campaign pledges.

AdvocKC added that the aim of the organisation was to ensure a successful rate in the fulfilment of campaign promises among political office holders.

The statement read in part, “In Nigeria, voters are inspired to work for the candidate or political party whose campaign promises agree with their social, economic, and political needs. But are always disappointed when these promises are not kept.”

According to the group’s Co-Founder/Research Lead, Habib Sheidu, the digital platform leverages technology through its Data-Driven promise meters to articulate political promises which are made during political campaigns.

 

He said it uses different ratings such as “In the Works,” “Compromise,” “Stalled,” “Promise Kept” and “Promise Broken”, adding that the Promise Meter will show ratings for citizens to make informed decisions during elections.

AdvoKC’s Co-Founder/Team Lead, Abiola Durodola, also stated that the model is not only focused on addressing transparency and accountability but also citizens engagement and participation in Nigeria as politicians use promises as a political strategy to garner votes during campaigns.

He added that a core mandate of the group is to address the issue of political elites in Nigeria exploiting poverty and illiteracy to mobilize voters with food items and money without delivering on their promises every election cycle.

Beyond the ‘Promise Meter’, the group noted that citizens can also access other features like Submit a Promise, Promise Reminder, Factcheck and Climate AdvoKC.

The statement also added that the group had appointed the Executive Director, ONE Campaign, Serah Makka-Ugbabe, as the Chairman of its Advisory Board.

Other appointees to AdvoKC’s Advisory Board are Communication and Knowledge Management Specialist at World Bank, Dayo Ibitoye; the Executive Director, Africa Policy Research Institute, Olumide Abimbola; Executive Director, CTA, Faith Nwadishi, and a doctoral student at London School of Economics, Aliyu Nuhu.

from Nigerian News. Latest Nigeria News. Your online Nigerian Newspaper. https://ift.tt/3mgaFb0
via gqrds