In a statement, the camp said it was unsurprised by the poll’s verdict on the performance of the incumbent Madina MP, but fiercely contested the numbers handed to Sidii Abubakar and the other contenders.
“We in the Hon. Sidii Abubakar camp have studied the poll circulating on the Madina NDC parliamentary race, and we reject its entire figures. The numbers simply do not reflect the ground,” the statement said.
“Sidii’s support is far ahead”
The team said the 24.7 percent credited to Sidii Abubakar grossly understates his support across the constituency.
“Hon. Sidii’s 24.7% has been pulled down and, in our estimated view, does not match his real standing across the constituency. His support is far ahead of what the poll suggests,” it said.
Cissey’s 14.7% “inflated”
The camp turned its fire on the 14.7 percent given to Razak Cissey, arguing that it cannot be squared with his visibility across the constituency’s 15 sections.
“Cissey is known in only one of them, Madina West. A candidate with that footprint cannot honestly poll 14.7% constituency-wide. This is why we hold, with the greatest conviction, that his figure is inflated,” the statement claimed.
Pollster’s neutrality questioned
The campaign also went after the credibility of the pollster himself, pointing to Musah Dankwah’s public backing for Cissey’s bid.
“Musah Dankwah was the first person to publicly declare unflinching support for Razak Cissey as Madina MP aspirant. Given that history, we see these polls as a scheme to keep projecting Cissey as part of efforts to shape public perceptions in his favour among delegates and voters,” the campaign alleged.
It added bluntly: “A poll from an openly declared supporter cannot be treated as neutral.”
“The figures have been stretched”
The team further argued that the poll does not even hold together on its own terms. According to the camp, if the 23.1 percent attributed to the incumbent MP, Sosu, were accepted, Cissey should be hovering around six percent, not 14.7 percent.
“Furthermore, even on the poll’s own terms, if Sosu’s 23.1% is accepted, which we also question, Cissey should be hovering around 6%, and not 14.7%. The gap shows how far the figures have been stretched,” it said.
Supporters urged to stay calm
Despite the storm over the poll, the Sidii Abubakar camp urged its supporters to keep calm and stay focused.
“Our message to our esteemed supporters is to remain calm. Such schemes that have come to the attention of the campaign team will neither break nor make us complacent,” it said.
The campaign said it will press on with its constituency-level engagements ahead of the contest, with its eyes fixed on its agenda for Madina.
“We remain focused on a results-oriented campaign, run on a going-concern basis, and nothing will make this team relax from the project to rescue Madina from its current underdeveloped, failed and abysmal leadership,” the statement added.
