By Okechukwu Onuegbu
Foundation of Movement for Good Governance (FMGG), a non political group, has kicked against an opinion poll conducted by Nigerians Decide, an online platform whose outcome showed that the Senatorial candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mrs Stella Oduah defeated other political parties candidates for Anambra North.
The poll, Blueprint learnt, indicated that Oduah scored about 4,600 votes to defeat her opponents, Mrs Ebelechukwu Obiano of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) and Hon. Tony Nwoye of Labour Party (LP).
But FMGG in a statement signed by Dr Chuks Ogogor Patrick, the Anambra State Director; Hon. Samuel Dibor, Deputy Director FMGG Electioneering Committee; and Comrade Udoka Onwumelu, Director Director of Special Duty; described the reports as false that should be disregarded.
It read in part, "With a strong sense of responsibility, FMGG bring to the full glare of the public, a disturbing development that sees us committed to launching a campaign against the project under the initiative of 'Nigerians Decide' for allegedly conniving with this highly placed individual on the use of Votebots to manipulate the result of the ongoing Anambra North Senatorial Opinion poll.
" At about 10:38pm Thursday 29 December, 2022, this highly placed individual launched Votebots to automate voter actions and perform them at scale. It marvels us why under your nose, a democratic poll is being obstructed by the use of bots to uptrend votes in favor of this highly placed individual in Anambra North Senatorial Election against other contestants.
" I could immediately tell that the distribution of votes is unnatural and violating an expected power law. This caused me to request for a recorded instance of the entire charade which is attached to this message for your reference. The manipulation of public opinion polls defies every sense of the words "championing good governance", rather it remains a critical threat to our fragile democracy at a time the entire country is in dire need of restitution_
"We are hoping your organization live upto the standards by which you have been evaluated by other Nigerians and disassociate your corporate self from this act by disqualifying the said candidate from the online poll on the basis of the above stated facts to enable well meaning Nigerians explore the benefits of your good initiative towards making the right choice at the election polls where leaders with the sincerity of purpose are set to get elected."