KDI unveils naijaelections to engage, enlighten and empower youths ahead of polls

By Titilola Olaniyan,

Kimpact Development Initiative, KDI has unveiled naijaelections, an Artificial Intelligence AI platform to promote electoral knowledge, aimed to sensitise and educate people on the importance of verified information, for informed civic engagement and decision-making during elections.

KDI with the support of UK International Development made the unveiling at a program tagged, Osun Democracy Talks, OSUNDEMTALKS, aimed to equip Nigerians, particularly to engage enlighten and empower the youths with accurate and up to date electoral education, and to foster culture of transparency and accountability.

The naijaelections app, powered by AI, simplifies complex legal and electoral procedures, accurately and in real time, making it accessible to diverse demographics, including people living with disabilities as well as youths in religious groups.

The KDI Team Lead and Executive Director Mr. Bukola Idowu in his welcome address stated that misinformation and disinformation are the major obstacles to free and fair election in Nigeria, and he emphasized that misinformed voters often pose a significant threat as they are likely to make uninformed decisions, which can be as dangerous as armed robbery.

Emphasising that the issue has plagued past elections in Nigeria, he added that this history led Kimpact Development Initiative KDI to launch naijaelections, the AI-powered initiative to combat misinformation and disinformation, adding that the goal is to provide accurate electoral information and to encourage citizens to seek credible sources for all elections in the country.

In his goodwill message, the Osun state Resident Electoral Commissioner REC of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Dr. Mutiu Agboke assured the participants of a credible free and fair election while also emphasizing the importance of youth participation and vigilance before, during and after election, adding that the key point in the process is collation and counting of votes.

Dr Agboke applauded KIMPACT  for its consistency as a good platform integrating electorates with access to electoral education, while also citing their sincerity and transparency, and he urged youths to also compliment INEC’S efforts, and called on registered electorates to collect their voters card at the INEC designated centers.

The INEC Osun REC used the medium to caution against misinformation and disinformation, and he encouraged youths to verify facts and avoid discouraging narratives, electoral violence, hate speech and vote buying, while he added that such act are punishable under the Electoral Act.

Also the National Orientation Agency (NOA) Deputy Director on Civic Values and Democracy Education, Mr. Afolabi Adeyemi Alaba urged citizens to participate in the upcoming election by collecting their Permanent Voters Card (PVC) and cast their votes peacefully when the election comes.

He highlighted the importance of choosing integrity and exercising one’s franchise, saying “your voice is your vote”. He also expressed appreciation to KIMPACT Development Initiative for organizing the event.

According to him, “Nigerians should pay attention to Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC): the election guidelines and time table and the registration process”, while adding that NOA as an agency will continue to perform its role of informing the people adequately as part of their main objective.

During the OSUNDEMTALKS panel session discussion tagged: Wetin dey 9ja a on-air media personnel Mr Daniel Odeyemi of Rave FM called on media outlets to intensify its education of publics on the upcoming election in Osun state, he encouraged eligible voters to register, collect their PVCs and vote, stating that media organization will support publicity of the electoral process.

Festus Ojewumi, Head of Democracy and Good Governance of Justice Development and Peace Makers JDPMC highlighted a concern in Nigeria’s electoral process, particularly over the low voters turnout among the young people during election, citing it as a significant factor affecting the Country’s electoral process.

Ojewumi emphasized the need for targeted efforts to encourage young people to participate in voting, stating that their involvement is crucial for shaping the Country’s future. He also highlighted the impact of poor governance on voters apathy, urging leaders to prioritize good governance to boost citizen’s interest in electoral process.

Mercy Abiem, KDI Programme Manager Head emphasized the need for continuous voters education beyond election period to boost turnout. She advised voters to visit KDI websites, which include naijaelections for accurate electoral informations.

Highlight of the OSUNDEMTALKS unveiling of naijaelections AI platform by KDI include the democracy  by the organisation Team Lead Executive Director, Mr Bukola Idowu, who highlighted three key aspects of life that Individuals do not determine: such as the parents who birth its child into the world, the generation or era of their existence and the country or location of their birth, he described these as God’s decisions made on behalf of individuals.

Speaking to the gathering with focus on the youths, the ED encouraged active participation in the electoral process, stressing the importance of voting, he also urged the audience to foster a positive mindset towards Nigeria’s growth, cautioning against negative rhetoric due to the power of the tongue.

Emphasising personal responsibility as, “the future you see is what you become and encouraged individuals to become the change they want to see”, he concluded by advising the audience to seek out information independently and drive positive change.