NOIPolls visits INEC, canvasses collaboration

By Dominic Madaki

 A polling services firm, NOIPolls Limited, has proposed four parameters through which it could collaborate with and measure the pulse of public opinion about the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) performances and services.

According to Dr Bell Ihua, the firm’s Managing Director who led a delegation of four on an official visit to the Commission’s headquarters on 27^th September, the four possible areas of focus include surveys on: public perception on INEC and its activities; Pre and Post Election Preparedness and Assessment; INEC stakeholders and Programme Evaluation.

Ihua said the firm’s methodology involved using primary and secondary research techniques to achieve its goals. “We have a database of 70 million GSM numbers which form our population sample in our databank. We do a lot of telephone polling and carry out face-to-face surveys. We also use infographics to illustrate data and situations,” he said. He added that the firm had previously contacted the Commission’s Electoral Institute for possible areas of collaboration.

National Commissioner Mohammed Haruna, who represented the Commission’s Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu at the meeting, welcomed the firm’s initiatives, noting that the Commission would look into the listed areas of possible collaboration.

The Commission’s team at the meeting included two National Commissioners, Prof. Okechukwu Ibeanu and Dr Adekunle Ogunmola. Others were the Acting Director General, The Electoral Institute, Dr Sa’ad Umar, Directors Oluwole Osaze – Uzzi (Voter Education and Publicity), Okechukwu Ndeche (Planning and Monitoring) and Chidi Nwafor (ICT).