African Independent Television (AIT) has
suddenly removed a popular online poll where the All Progressives Congress party
candidate, Muhammadu Buhari, was resoundingly beating President Goodluck
Jonathan.
Buhari’s lead in the poll was despite the
president’s shelling out of N5 million per daily showing of his sponsored
documentary against Buhari that was being repeatedly shown on AIT stations
across Nigeria, and online.
president’s shelling out of N5 million per daily showing of his sponsored
documentary against Buhari that was being repeatedly shown on AIT stations
across Nigeria, and online.
Earlier on Tuesday, SaharaReporters
published a screenshot of the poll, which at that time showed Buhari well ahead
by over 76%.
As the day wore on, the poll saw Buhari’s
lead rise to 79%. It was then swiftly
taken down, AIT replacing the page with a claim that the page was “under
maintenance.”
lead rise to 79%. It was then swiftly
taken down, AIT replacing the page with a claim that the page was “under
maintenance.”
That behavior was reminiscent of a similar
incident last year by Mr. Jonathan’s social media aide, Reno Omokri. In an effort to provide a rebuttal to a
SaharaReporters poll showing Mr. Jonathan being handsomely defeated by General
Buhari, Omokri manipulated a poll he had set up, and then hurriedly shut it
down with Jonathan ahead of Buhari by 1%.
incident last year by Mr. Jonathan’s social media aide, Reno Omokri. In an effort to provide a rebuttal to a
SaharaReporters poll showing Mr. Jonathan being handsomely defeated by General
Buhari, Omokri manipulated a poll he had set up, and then hurriedly shut it
down with Jonathan ahead of Buhari by 1%.
AIT did not say whether its poll page would
return after its ‘maintenance’, but some users had noted earlier that the TV
station was allowing multiple voting for President Jonathan.
return after its ‘maintenance’, but some users had noted earlier that the TV
station was allowing multiple voting for President Jonathan.
That was subsequently corrected, a fact
that was also noted by users, following which Buhari again regained the
lead. AIT then suddenly went into
‘maintenance’.
that was also noted by users, following which Buhari again regained the
lead. AIT then suddenly went into
‘maintenance’.
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