By Alie Sonta Kamara
The September National Presidential Survey involving a sample of 500 individuals has tilted Dr. Juldeh Jalloh, Sierra Leone Vice President, to the pinnacle among the top nine.
The Survery, conducted by Sierra Leone Opinion Polls, represents various political parties, districts, and regions and aims to offer a credible snapshot of public opinion, reflecting the perspectives of a cross-section of the electorates as both parties prepare for the upcoming electoral battle.
Below is an excerpt from Sierra Leone Opinion Polls on how the nine candidates are ranked:
Juldeh Jalloh currently leads the race with 30%, bolstered by recent praise from his boss, President Bio, regarding the MCC achievement, which suggests an almost official endorsement. Additionally, the First Lady has offered him significant praise, further solidifying his position. Meanwhile, the Vice President has been quietly organizing his campaign, attracting support from disgruntled members of the SLPP, which could be pivotal given his appeal in the northern region, an area the SLPP needs to secure.
In second place is Sidie Tunis with 20%, who has garnered support from of MPs. However, his candidacy is complicated by his southern roots, as the SLPP is looking to rotate its flag bearer. Despite this, he has been actively supporting various groups within the party to maintain his influence.
Musa Tarawally sits in third with 15%, openly expressing his intentions and steadily building his campaign.
Alie Kabba follows closely behind at 12%, focusing on grassroots efforts and pushing for a candidate from Kailahun, which boasts strong support for the party. However, he faces skepticism from many who question his trustworthiness due to concerns about his past with the embassy fund.
Davis Sengeh has seen a drop to 8%, largely due to criticism from Sylvia Blyden and the First Lady, impacting his previously stable two-digit support. He remains a quiet mobilizer with his Radical Inclusion Movement, despite the setbacks.
Francis Ben Kaifala is at 7%, having lost two points recently. His steady yet quiet campaign with stakeholders is maintaining his position, though he is often viewed unfavorably, particularly by Northerners who resent his corruption fight.
Newcomer Emmanuel Saffa Abdulai stands at 5%, maintaining a low profile regarding his ambitions while his supporters hint at his potential. He is recognized as a strong grassroots mobilizer, particularly in the football community, though some perceive him as hesitant and elitist.
John Benjamin has only 2% support, focusing his efforts in the east, with many suggesting he should retire to make way for younger candidates.
Lastly, Timothy Kabba holds a mere 1%, playing it safe and expressing a desire to concentrate on his current work.
The other candidates got below 1%.
Overall, there is a marginal error of 1.0% in these assessments, indicating that the dynamics of this race could shift as campaigns progress.
