A few days before the general elections, the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre, (PLAC) launched an App to assist Nigerians to understand the basic provisions of the 2022 Electoral Act.
The Civil Society Organization, CSO, which unveiled the App in Abuja on Wednesday, described the impending general election as critical to the survival of democracy in the country.
The Executive Director of PLAC, Clement Nwankwo, maintained that the amended Electoral Act has novel provisions he said Nigerians ought to be aware of.
According to him, it was imperative for electorates to understand the impact that technology would play in the conduct of the impending elections.
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Nwankwo said the Electoral Act Web and Mobile app was part of PLAC’s effort, in collaboration with the European Union, EU, to educate Nigerians about key provisions of the extant electoral laws.
“The PLAC Electoral Act App contains the complete text of the Nigerian Electoral Act passed in 2022. It comes in a simplified web version as well as Android and iOS mobile versions.
“The objective is to disseminate the provisions of the law to the public and ensure that citizens have it in a readily accessible format”, Nwankwo added.
He, therefore, urged Nigerians to leverage the App to build their knowledge of the electoral process so as to not only ensure that the elections are free, fair, and credible but also for proper handling of post-electoral issues by courts and lawyers.
Likewise, in her speech at the unveiling ceremony, the Programme Manager, of Democracy and Rule of Law, at the EU, Laolu Olawumi, commended PLAC for the initiative.
The EU representative said the App, which grants free access to users, was a great tool that would empower Nigerians with knowledge.
“I was really surprised with the amount and the quality of information. I think whether you are a lawyer or you are just somebody who is keen on research, or you are just an average citizen wanting to understand the electoral law, this really sets the tone and helps you.
“So, embrace it, immerse yourself in the information, and also connect with the process and it will help you authenticate certain materials that you receive to be able to engage with the process.
“What this app does for us is to help to bridge that gap between the information and the actual process. what I would really love to see is that people are aware of this, because I think it is excellent”, she added.
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