•Says insecurity, inflation, poverty’ll determine voters’ turnout
By Henry Uche
Human Rights Community (NHRC) has said its recent survey revealed that Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, would clear the majority of votes in the South East on February 25.
It, however, tipped APC candidate, Bola Tinubu to win the presidential election.
Secretary General of the Group, Taiwo Adeleye, who disclosed this at a press conference in Lagos, yesterday, said the group embarked on the six months research to ascertain people’s opinions over the four major candidates in the presidential election.
He said the outcome of the poll showed insecurity, inflation, unprecedented poverty, unemployment among other sad economic realities would determine the level of voters’ turnout in the forthcoming elections.
The survey also revealed that party loyalty, candidate’s integrity and track records as well as political will would dominate the reasons for voters preference for specific candidates.
“Out of the 19,365 respondents interviewed, 7940 (41%) are voting for the candidate of the APC while 5035 (26%), 4067 (21%), and 1743 (9%) are voting for the candidates of PDP, LP, and NNPP respectively,” the report read. “1162 (6%) of the respondents are rooting for the other candidates…Peter Obi of the Labour Party would lead in all the South Eastern States with over 68 per cent of votes cast. However, in Imo and Ebony states, Obi would score less due to the presence of APC incumbent governors. Bola Ahmed Tinubu is the preferred candidate in the South West,” it said.
Adeleye said the group made up of 134 civil liberty and community-based organisations agreed that the report from the opinion poll may tally with eventual results.
In the survey, the opinions of 19,365 respondents across the 36 states of the federation and FCT were sampled with each respondent administered questionnaire in his or her native language.
Respondents were drawn randomly across political divide in the country, except some troubled areas where insecurity was glaring.
NHRC said each candidate would most likely enjoy the sentiments (votes) of their respective immediate ethnic group while gray states like Rivers, Plateau, Kebbi, Bauchi, and Katsina with largely undecided voters and indifferent governors would sway the outcome of the polls in favour of any political candidate who is able to harness their voting strength.
“Social media, mobile communication and INEC decision to use technology will create more awareness and influence voters’ vision, while curbing vote rigging and electoral violence.”