With Anambra State set to head to the polls on Saturday, November 8, civic-tech platform Citizen Monitors has unveiled a new web-based election-monitoring app aimed at enhancing transparency and public trust during the voting process.
The platform, accessible at www.citizenmonitors.com, enables citizens to upload real-time photos, videos, and reports from polling units — all tagged with timestamps and GPS coordinates. These reports are then peer-reviewed before being displayed on a live statewide dashboard showing verified updates as voting unfolds.
In a statement issued on Monday in Abuja, Citizen Monitors described the app as a citizen-driven accountability tool that transforms ordinary voters into “calm, coordinated witnesses” to the electoral process.
“Trust grows when people can see the evidence. With this app, Anambra can protect its polling units with facts, not noise,” said Adeshope Haastrup, co-founder of Citizen Monitors.
Olajumoke Alawode-James, spokesperson for the group, emphasized that the app is designed to support peaceful, fact-based monitoring.
“Our message is simple: see it, record it, verify it. If each unit plays its part, election day becomes clearer and safer for everyone,” she said.
The platform automatically attaches metadata — including location and time — to each user-submitted report. To prevent misinformation, all uploads undergo peer review before becoming visible on the public dashboard.
Citizen Monitors stressed that users must remain neutral, avoid confrontation, and refrain from recording personal data or interfering with electoral officials. It reiterated that only the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is legally empowered to announce election results.
The organization describes its mission as “turning citizen evidence into public accountability,” using structured uploads, crowd-verification, and technology to ensure Nigerians can see, verify, and share what truly happens at polling units.
As election day nears, the app is expected to serve as a vital tool for civil society groups, observers, journalists, and voters seeking to ensure a credible process in Anambra’s critical off-cycle election.
