Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
A poll survey by a civil society organisation, Democracy Developers (DD), has predicted victory for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2019 national and state legislative seats election in Bayelsa State
The group also predicted pockets of violence which would be instigated by desperate candidates not comfortable with the outcome of the election.
The group, which carried out its survey in Bayelsa East Senatorial Sistrict, said it tipped PDP for victory in the February 16 and March 2 elections due to the pedigree of the candidates which would earn them victory.
According to the group, the credibility of the candidates, their previous track records of performance, and the performance of the current PDP-led administration in the three local government areas that make up the zone gives the PDP an edge over its closest rival, the All Progressives Congress (APC).
DD Coordinator in Rivers and Bayelsa states, ThankGod Uwah, during a public presentation of the survey in Port Harcourt, disclosed that 90 percent of respondents insisted on voting for the PDP in Bayelsa East.
Uwah further disclosed that the respondents admitted it would be shameful to vote for other political parties and diminish the status of former president, Goodluck Jonathan, who hails from the area.
The survey report noted that a great number of the respondents said considering the performance of those leading the main opposition party in the area, they would vote for the PDP because of the giant strides the PDP administration has made in the last seven years.
“Democracy Developers is a non-profit organisation with support from international donor agencies. We are clearly non-partisan and have our integrity and reputation to protect. The survey is periodic especially during general election and we pick key areas and states for it. We started the survey in Bayelsa six months ago and decided to concentrate in Ogbia, Nembe and Brass local government areas because of the former president, Jonathan. We wanted to know if as a former leader, he has his senatorial zone as a strong hold. We gave out our questionnaires to be filled and some of the people were aided to answer it because of the level of their literacy. At the end, about 92 percent rooted for the PDP and gave various reasons to support their choices. In the other two senatorial zones, it was also the same thing. In fact, in Bayelsa West, the influence of Governor Seriake Dickson seems to have made the victory of the party easier than any one could imagine,” the group said in the survey report.