Popular electoral polls conductor, Gallop Polls Nigeria Limited today released the SMS opinion poll result conducted for the governorship candidates of all the political parties that will be participating in the October 20, gubernatorial election in Ondo State.
In the result, the ruling Labour Party governorship candidate, Governor Olusegun Mimiko floored all other flagBearers by scoring 77 percent of the vote.
Others candidates, like the Action Congress of Nigeria, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu has 9.8 percent, Peoples Democratic Party [PDP], 8.5 percent, Congress for Political Change [CPC], Prince Soji Ehinlanwo 1.0 percent and other political parties scored 1.9 percent.
Announcing this at a press briefing in Akure, the state capital, the Principal Consultant, Chief Anthony Chigbo said respondents in the three senatorial zones of the state were given the opportunity in an empirical SMS randomly, based public opinion poll to indicate the most popular candidate.
He added that the eligible voters were requested to send an SMS to only MTN in order to cast their votes for candidate of their choice.
His words, “At the end of the poll, 14,500 Ondo State MTN Subscriber participated in the poll. 11,164 respondents or 77 percent preferred Labour Party candidate, Olusegun Mimiko, 1,420 or 9.8 percent preferred ACN Candidate, Akeredolu, and 1,230 or 8.5 percent voted for PDP Candidate, Oke. CPC candidate, Ehinlanwo scored 276 or 1.0 percent while other parties have 276 or 1.9 percent. 260 entries or 1.8 percent were void”
But, a Political Group, Ondo Democracy Fighters, [ODF] has faulted the SMS opinion conducted by Gallop Polls Nigeria Limited where Governor Mimiko scored 77 percent of the vote.
The group alleged that Gallop Limited was being sponsored by the state government to create an impression to the masses that LP still remain the most popular political party in the state.
In a release signed by its State Coordinator Sowore Fabuluje, it was alleged that the whole process of the opinion was stage managed by the state government.
According to the group, “As part of efforts to ensure the poll favoured its sponsors, the group only gave the chance to the electorates who are MTN subscribers to participate in the poll. But we were aware that in the previous poll conducted in other states by the independent agency, all the telecommunications company’s subscribers were allowed to participate”.
It noted that before the commencement of the poll, there was no proper enlightenment about the poll for the electorates except those who are always conversant with daily newspapers.
The Statement reads, “We are condemning the whole process that led to the result announced by Gallop Poll in favour of Governor Olusegun Mimiko because there was no proper enlightenment. The Poll has not justified the expectation of the coming poll.
“The organizers should have been aware that 70 percent of Ondo State residents live in rural communities. By conducting this poll, the markets women, Artisans, farmers and among others have been deprived this opportunity to participate in this poll.
“The Information we got was that majority of the political parties that will be participating in the coming October 20, poll are not properly informed. We also learnt that the organizer of the poll only allow MTN subscribers to participate in order to give a leading chance to Governor Mimiko.
“We faulted this result because it was gathered that the organizer of the poll and some of his officials were allegedly lodged by the state government at the Royal Bird Hotel at Ijapo for the past two weeks”.
The group however urged residents of the state to disregard the result but come out enmasse during the election to vote for candidate of their choices.
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