A political analyst, Boakye Yiadom has cast doubts about the credibility of a renowned Ghanaian pollster, Ben Ephson. Mr. claimed that Mr. Ephson’s predictions are often influenced by his personal biases and affiliations, rather than being based on objective analysis.
Mr. Ephson who is the Managing Editor of the Daily Dispatch for the past had predicted election results that came to pass. However, the prediction by Mr. Ephson on the recent Assin North by-election turned out to be inaccurate.
The veteran pollster had predicted a win for the NPP parliamentary candidate, Charles Opoku over James Gyakye Quayson of the NDC. The failed prediction has therefore set the pollster out for trolls on social media with many people accusing him of becoming stale in his craft.
Speaking to Humul Khrusum Tahiru on A1 Radio’s NEWS LINK, the political analyst said Mr. Ephson is one of the pollsters in Ghana whose predictions do not come to pass and therefore, “the less said about that man the better”.
“I just don’t want to talk about him. It’s not important to talk about him because he is one of those pollsters whose predictions don’t come to pass. So, there is no need to wake him up from his slumber”, Mr. Yiadom lasses out.
He argued that Ephson’s track record of inaccurate predictions raises doubts about his ability to accurately assess and analyse political dynamics. Mr. Yiadom likens Ben Ephson to the popular Bible verse that talks about false prophets and how they appear in sheep’s skin but inwardly are ravenous wolves.
“The Bible says somewhere that if a prophet prophesied and that prophecy doesn’t come to pass, know that God has not sent that prophet. It is in the Bible and I think it is also in the Quran. If a pollster always comes out with a prediction and it doesn’t happen the way he has predicted, the second he would do, third he would do and they all did not happen, you should know that that person is a fraudster and not a pollster”, he added.
When questioned about the consequences on a pollster whose predictions have failed to come to pass, Mr. Yiadom said the person can be considered as someone who can’t be relied upon, regardless, he said the failed pollster cannot be arrested for his failed predictions.
Whereas a section of the public has raised questions about the credibility of Ben Ephson and many people advising him to stop projecting election outcomes, the political analyst said he will not “waste time advising an elderly man”. According to Mr. Yiadom, the veteran pollster is not under duress and he is at liberty to stay in his job or resign.
He emphasised the need for pollsters to approach their work with more professionalism and objectivity in order to maintain their credibility.
Source: A1Radioonline.com|101.1Mhz|Joshua Asaah|Bolgatanga|Ghana
