Ben Ephson, a pollster, has responded to trolls on social media who have been criticising his incorrect prediction of the result of the Assin North by-election.
The Managing Editor of the Daily Dispatch had forecast that Charles Opoku, candidate for the New Patriotic Party, would prevail over James Gyakye Quayson, candidate for the National Democratic Congress.
However, according to the preliminary results of Tuesday’s by-election, the NDC Parliamentary Candidate came out on top, increasing the vote margin from the previous election in 2020.
This caused trolls to appear on social media, and many people made fun of Ben Ephson for the recent prediction mistake he made.
Ben Ephson reacts to wrong Assin North prediction
During his response to this on 3FM 92.7MHz, Mr. Ephson admitted that he was incorrect in his prediction, but he strongly underlined that he has covered seven elections and has only gotten one of them wrong, and that was in 2016.
“From 1996 on, I got it spot-on,” he told Johnnie Hughes on Tuesday night. “I got it spot-on.”
Ben Ephson emphasised, “I’ve got a track record, so these things don’t bother me [because] I’ve already proven myself.”
Ben Ephson claimed that the criticism he received in 2016 was worse than the criticism he receives now, and as a result, he will not be dissuaded from attempting to forecast the results of future elections because he did not cease doing so seven years ago.
He stated that even tried-and-true predictions from the United States of America, in addition to scientific forecasts, are incorrect on the outcomes of some elections.
“What if I did it correctly this time? I have been somewhat accustomed to it.”