Emma Okonji and Nosa Alekhuogie

Some analysts have said the projection made by THISDAY on the presidential poll would shape the political landscape and help politicians and voters to make informed decisions about the election slated for February 25, 2023.

According to them, the polls would make good template for politicians to carry out their political strategies.

Speaking about the projections, Professor of Strategy and Development, Prof. Anthony Kila, who spoke yesterday on the Morning Show on ARISE News Channel, the broadcast arm of THISDAY Newspapers, said about 25 per cent of voters had always made irrational decisions before the election.

“Polls are important and should not be discarded because the results can be used to make informed decision before the day of the election. Projected polls results will enable politicians understand their strengths and weaknesses and make amends before the day of the election,” Kila said.

Also, ARISE News Analyst, Dr. Sam Amadi, who also spoke on the programme, said the projections would help politicians to assess their expected performance and to adjust their campaign strategies.

He explained that the prediction would also help eligible voters understand the various regions where their preferred candidates could do better, adding that it would help them make informed decision about their preferred candidates in any given election.

The THISDAY projections was based on conceptual ideas and certain analytics not based on political sentiments, Amadi said.

Analysing the mandatory 25 per cent votes, which each political aspirants must attain from all the regions across the country in order to win the election, Amadi said THISDAY’s estimates would enable political aspirants to see their performance level across all regions and quickly make amends and re-strategise in regions where their votes fall short of  25 per cent of the total votes cast. He therefore advised politicians to take empirical polls very seriously.

Reacting to the responses of some political aspirants, who faulted the projection in the regions where they were estimated not to make much impact Kila said their responses were not out of place because the THISDAY only made projections based on certain criteria.

Reacting to the responses from a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) group which had faulted the projections, Kila said they were based on certain criteria that include the power of incumbency by some candidates in some regions.

The Labour Party campaign team also reacted by saying PDP and APC would not get as much as 10 per cent votes in the South east region, as projected by THISDAY polls. Kila however advised politicians not to disregard the THISDAY projection but to see it as a template to work out their political strategies.