Presidential Poll

NOI Polls

Presidential Poll

Lagos, Nigeria. March 2011– ANAP Foundation (ANAP) is a non profit organisation committed to promoting good governance in Nigeria.

Ahead of the presidential elections scheduled to hold on April 9, 2011, ANAP Foundation decided to commission NOI Polls Limited to conduct a face-to-face nationwide presidential poll to ascertain public sentiment on the candidacy of aspirants for the office of President.

NOI Polls administered the survey utilizing well established survey methodologies, including scientifically tested sampling techniques, developed by the Gallup Organization.

The opinion poll was carried out from February 11th – February 28th 2011 with a representative random sample of Nigerians drawn from Nigeria's six major geo-political zones and reflecting rural urban split in population.

The overriding objective of the poll is to empirically establish which of the presidential candidates stands the greatest chance of receiving the people's mandate to ascend to the nation's highest office. The rationale for the survey in the run up to the elections is to provide Nigerians with the opportunity to express their views on salient political issues and candidates, as well as to generate data which gives an indication of the voting intentions of the citizenry prior to the elections. Data generated from the nationwide presidential poll revealed the following:

• Almost all Nigerians have given at least some thought to the April elections.
• Nearly 3 out of 4 of the respondents have voted in at least one previous election.
• Almost all Nigerians had registered or planned to register to vote in the upcoming elections.
• An extension of the period for the voter registration exercise would further enable registration of eligible voters in Nigeria.
• 46% of Nigerians were aware that Ibrahim Shekarau is running for president.
• 48% of respondents were aware that Nuhu Ribadu is running for president.
• 73% of Nigerians were aware that Muhammadu Buhari is running for president.
• 93% of respondents were aware that Goodluck Jonathan is running for president.
• For all other candidates, less than 20% of Nigerians knew that they were running for president.
• Majority (85%) of Nigerians feel very strongly about their choice for the presidential position.
• Most (53%) of the respondents think that Goodluck Jonathan will win the April presidential position.
• Most (68%) approve of Goodluck Jonathan's performance as president.

The questionnaire for the nationwide presidential poll was designed in English and translated into the major Nigerian languages- Hausa, Ibo, Yoruba and Pidgin English. In addition, interviewers were locally recruited to ensure coverage of all geographical and demographic groups.