Group Flays Opinion Poll,

…….Alleges Manipulation in Anambra North Senatorial District

By Nwaokafor Ogochukwu

A group, Foundation of Movement for Good Governance (FMGG), has faulted what it described as a manipulated opinion poll in Anambra North Senatorial District which favoured the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Senator Stella Oduah, over her rival, Mrs Ebelechukwu Obiano of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA.

The group which stated this at a press briefing on February 8 in Awka, accused a highly placed politician in Anambra North Senatorial District of being behind the manipulation.

Dr Chuks Ogogor Patrick, the Anambra State Director of FMGG, noting that FMGG was a non-political association with branches in about 13 states of the federation, said the group’s functions included monitoring, sensitizing and appraising political activities ahead of this year’s general elections; as well as advocating transparency in the making of government policies and in governance.

He alleged that a democratic poll was manipulated by a highly placed individual in Anambra North with the aid of a vote bots (voting robot), to deceive the populace that she was leading in an opinion poll.

He said that Mrs Oduah, who polled 2,946 votes in the poll, incredibly jumped to 4,600 votes within a few minutes.

Dr Ogogor who noted that an online poll was a trial election to sense how Nigerians would conduct themselves during the main election, said what transpired at the opinion poll was a foretaste of what the accused could do in the main election.

The group demanded the verification of the poll and for the candidate to be sanctioned to ensure transparency and credibility in the upcoming 2023 elections.