Nigerian CSO launches tool to help citizens know their candidates

Asari Ndem, January 7, 2019

A Civil Society Organisation (CSO) operating in Nigeria has launched a tool to help Nigerian citizens understand their candidates better.

Civic Monitor, the CSO pushing this new drive for better democratic processes, has released its Know-Your-Candidate (KYC) tool in an effort to help Nigerians get the facts they need to make an informed decision in next month’s elections.

The web tool features all 24 candidates running for president in February, their political parties, a link to help you know more about them and a “Compare” button where you can learn about the candidates position on certain key issues and how they stack up against their peers.

Screenshot of web tool

“The election in February is perhaps the most important one for the country since 1999. Nigerian voters cannot afford to go to the polls blindfolded,” said Stanley Azuakola, Founder and Executive Director of Civic Monitor, in a press statement. “With KYC, we are putting the spotlight on the issues, not insults or conspiracies. It is about voters comparing the candidates on different issues and deciding who has the best plan for them, their families and the nation.” 

Civic Monitor carried out a survey in November 2018 to find out the most important issues concerning Nigerians at the moment. The results showed that Nigerians were keen on finding out where each candidate stood on issues concerning the economy, security, power, education, healthcare, corruption, job creation, debt profile and more.

According to Azuakola, “What KYC has done is to collate the positions and promises of 24 presidential candidates on each of these issues in their own words without spin. The data we have compiled with KYC is the most extensive and representative you will find of the candidates anywhere. The most exciting thing about the KYC tool is the fact that voters can directly compare any two candidates on any issue of their choice, and the positions of the candidates would appear side-by-side for ease of comparison.”

Aside from this new tool being absolutely necessary for citizens to enable them make the decision they feel is right for them, KYC is an invaluable tool for researchers, journalists, and activists as it helps in holding leaders accountable for their words and campaign promises.

The KYC tool is now live at: www.kyc.civicmonitor.com

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