The Senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has declared the readiness of her constituency to support the innovative plans of the newly confirmed Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, particularly on the proposed deployment of drones to combat electoral fraud and strengthen logistics for the distribution of electoral materials.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan made this known during a live session on her official social media handle, noting that three months ago, her office facilitated the training of eighty constituents from Kogi Central on drone technology and subsequently empowered them with DJI drones.
The lawmaker commended Prof. Amupitan for considering the integration of drone technology into Nigeria’s electoral process, describing the move as thoughtful and timely. She further stated that Kogi Central is well-positioned to provide technical support to INEC in this regard.
“Our constituency is ready to collaborate with INEC. My office can provide the list of the eighty trained individuals, who are fully equipped to assist in aerial monitoring during elections. Their drones can help capture real-time activities in their respective areas, thereby enhancing transparency, security, and accountability in the electoral process,” she said.
During his confirmation session at the Senate Plenary on Wednesday, Prof. Amupitan acknowledged the persistent challenges associated with electoral fraud and the distribution of materials across the country. He announced that the Commission would consider the deployment of drones as part of strategic solutions to address these issues.
This development comes three months after Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s empowerment initiative, which trained and equipped youths from Kogi Central with high-tech drones, a move that now aligns with INEC’s proposed deployment of drones to combat electoral fraud and strengthen logistics for the distribution of electoral materials.
