CoRG Press Release: State of Socio-Political Research

To All Editors & Media Houses,

REF: PRESS RELEASE

The Consortium of Researchers on Governance (CoRG) wishes to express their reservations with the manner in which the so-called London-based “All Africa Advisors” conducted and released their survey. The recent exercise flew in the face of well-established code of ethics, practice and standards of statistical research. It is our considered view that the methodology employed in the said survey was misguided. This in effect has given the industry a bad name and has brought into disrepute the credibility of opinion polling / survey, and the sanctity of data. It‟s important to note that pollsters, like Ceasar‟s wife, must be beyond reproach.

Similarly, we also wish to encourage the Council of Governors to be pro-active and cordial in their handling of industry stakeholders whenever called upon to share crucial information and data pertaining to counties. As it stands now, the Council of Governors is acting like a secret society, despite the fact that it is a public institution created and protected by the Constitution, and funded by the public purse. For this reason alone, the Council of Governors has no moral authority to criticize pollsters in the conduct of their activity however wanting for „he who comes to the table of equity, must come with clean hands‟.

Further, we urge the media to hold pollsters to account, by carrying out due diligence on organizations conducting data analysis and surveys for public consumption. This will help weed out quacks and charlatans, purveying data for sectarian interest intended to achieve ulterior motives.

Going forward, it is our humble plea that all stakeholders involved in statistical activities must adhere to the laid-down research standards, and subject their works to peer review. This way, the industry will regain its lost‟ glory and our work will stand the test of scrutiny, in conformity with the global best practice.

Thank you.

Dated: 23rd September 2019