A group, Foundation of Movement for Good Governance, has accused the senator representing Anambra North senatorial zone, Stella Oduah, of allegedly manipulating an online poll conducted in the zone in her favour.
Oduah is also contesting re-election for Anambra North senatorial Zone in the forthcoming general elections.
The group therefore called for her disqualification, stating that her actions were a threat to the coming general elections.
The group spoke through its Coordinator, Dr Chuks Ogogor, during a press conference in Awka on Sunday.
Ogogor posited that Oduah’s alleged manipulation of an online poll was an indication of what should be expected by the senator during the coming election.
The group added that the manipulation of public opinion polls by candidates remained a critical threat to democracy.
It added, “With a strong sense of responsibility, the FMGG came up with a project called, ‘Nigerians Decide,’ an independent opinion poll primarily to x-ray and give a hypothetical projection of the likely outcome of the 2023 general election in Nigeria.
“At about 10:38pm on Thursday, December 29, 2022, a highly placed individual launched Votebots to automate voter actions and perform them at scale, thereby making Senator Stella Oduah, who had 2,946 votes in the online poll to rise to 4,600 within a few minutes.
“The manipulation of public opinion polls defies efforts to champion good governance, and remains a critical threat to Nigeria’s fragile democracy at a time the entire country is in dire need of restitution. It marvels us why a democratic poll will be obstructed by the use of bots to uptrend votes in favour of this highly placed individual in Anambra North senatorial election against other contestants.”
Contacted, a media aide to Oduah, Mr Augustine Chima, dismissed the claims, describing it as the handiwork Chima insisted that Oduah won the online poll free and fair because of her good works in her constituency.
“Their claims have no basis. They are being sponsored by the opponents of Oduah who are afraid of their imminent defeat at the poll. They are failures and failures don’t admit that they have failed,” he added.
