Get Guardian on GoogleThe Kwara Transparency and Accountability Initiative (KTAI) has faulted and condemned an online opinion poll credited to one NU Northstar Research, claiming that the All Progressives Congress (APC) is leading the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the fast-approaching 2027 governorship and senatorial elections in Kwara State.
The KTAI described the poll as “questionable, lacking sufficient methodological transparency and grossly at variance with the political realities and prevailing sentiments across Kwara State,” noting in particular, among “grassroots residents who are looking forward to the 2027 general elections.”
A statement by the Executive Director, KTAI, Comrade Adebayo Nurudeen, said that while it recognises opinion polls in democratic engagement, “such exercises ought to, and must be conducted by credible research institutions and backed by transparent methodologies and verifiable data to command public confidence.
“It is amusing that Governor AbdulRazaq and the Kwara APC are now resorting to questionable online polls to manufacture the acceptability they have failed to earn from the people through good governance.
“We want to remind those in government that popularity cannot be purchased with fabricated statistics, and public confidence cannot be manufactured on a foreign website,” the statement added.
The KTAI questioned the identity and credibility of NU Northstar Research, whose name has suddenly emerged in the political space ahead of the 2027 elections, without sufficient publicly available information to establish its research credentials, institutional background or track record.
“Even more laughable is the claim that the poll covered 30,000 registered voters in the 16 local government areas and 193 wards between September 2 and October 20, 2026.
“Where exactly were these 30,000 respondents sourced? Who verified their voter registration status? What was the sampling framework? How were rural and urban respondents represented? What independent mechanism was used to authenticate the responses? These are fundamental questions any credible polling organisation must be prepared to answer,” it queried.
Nurudeen noted that the poll’s purported projections do not reflect the extensive grassroots engagements, political consultations and growing conversations in the state.
According to him, the 2027 elections will be determined by the choices of actual voters at polling units, not conjured online figures whose research processes cannot be independently scrutinised.
KTAI observed that other candidates, especially those in the PDP, have continued to engage directly with communities in wards and polling units, listening to residents, building political structures and seeking the confidence of the electorate.
Subsequently, the initiative questioned the timing of the publication, particularly against the background of increasing political activities ahead of 2027, cautioning residents against every online survey or opinion poll as a true reflection of public opinion.
It also urged media organisations to exercise due diligence before amplifying polling reports, particularly where the research institution, methodology, and supporting data have not been adequately established.
