(Election Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting System)
In accordance with the Federal Government peace accord agreement and the need for a free and fair election process; the APC campaign team deemed it fit to make use of advanced technology that secured and interactive communication tool that can secure real time feedback on election process from observers, detailed analysis of the election process while election are being held, detailed and easy accessible information that facilitates quick and easy monitoring, fast and better methods of collating election results and tracking of election materials real time.
To achieve the above vision the APC campaign team sourced for strategic partner to simplify its election monitoring process: Cerebro Systems which produced the first of its kind in Africa and the only made in Nigeria software “EMARS” which has the potential to change the way elections are conducted in Nigeria.
For the first time in Nigeria, there is now a chance to have free and fair elections, and Nigerians have a chance to select their leaders in a transparent and credible manner with a simple mobile phone SMS feature adding openness. EMARS is a web-based solution that collects data via SMS normally sent by observers at individual polling units. EMARS sorts the data, analyze the data and report the data using a simple and clean interface that is very interactive and easy to use.
The APC Situation room was setup by a team of young talented and dedicated professionals to monitor the presidential and National Assembly elections in Nigeria.
The APC Situation room had a strong voluntary team numbering about 70 and dedicated party agents in all polling units were on ground for prompt and adequate information gathering and sourcing.
The EMARS integrated with the social media back end was made unique in all just as the clandestine operation had put off the opposition party’s plan of rigging the 2015 general elections, clearly stated when the Orubebe Incidence was happening; he made reference to the fact that the APC Situation Room has the same results with that of the Independent National Electoral Commission, exposing that the opposition party couldn’t do any of their rigging plans knowing well that result being doctored would be exposed to the public.
Another instance was when the Spokesperson of the opposition party (Femi Fani Kayode) in his usual doggedness stated clearly, that the APC situation room were the E-rats that were misleading the world to believe the results being circulated were genuine.
The APC situation room has however, been of immense effect, working 24 hours for four days and reporting incidences of security breach to the adequate control room and personnel’s and also reporting INEC PO breach hereby alerting INEC control room to any act of fraud in any polling units.
Also, integrated into the APC Situation room, was the social media angle, where verified information reaching the situation room would be broadcasted on the social media and news agencies for adequate and prompt public reactions to the information thereby making the opposition wonder how information of high levels got down to the masses. So many incidences that were promptly reported and tackled but the very unique one was the Intel reaching the Bauchi Desk, that there was a plan to impose curfew; information came in as correct when after two hours of circulating the news, curfew was announced, party agents were prepared to counter the curfew and thus, rigging plan in Bauchi State was exposed and the rights of the electorates was saved by the situation room.
The special software used (EMARS) was very hand in pushing information to relevant agents and making sure that results collated, though not declared was slightly different from what INEC released
Basic features of EMARS are live field reports for proactive response during election process, live audit of results collation for verification of election results to cover all officially designated polling units through wards level, up to Local Governments level, Senatorial districts and consequently the entire state and the federation; determine security and other special requirements based on demography and/or live feedback from observer for early and pre-emptive action. (Bauchi Curfew Incidence); better decision making in terms of resources management.
It may interest you to know that one of the APC situation volunteers Mr Oloko Olalekan sacrificed time he could have been with his wife at the hospital labour room, to be with the team and ensure the success of the project. God so kind, the wife delivered a beautiful baby girl during the period and was name after Mrs Aisha Buhari.
