Pollster Ben Ephson has responded to criticisms on social media regarding his inaccurate prediction of the outcome of the Assin North bye-election.
Mr Ephson, the Managing Editor of Daily Dispatch, had forecasted a victory for the New Patriotic Party’s Charles Opoku, as opposed to the National Democratic Congress’ James Gyakye Quayson.
However, the provisional results from the bye-election revealed that the NDC candidate was leading, widening the vote margin from the 2020 elections.
This led to trolls on social media mocking Mr Ephson for his recent prediction error.
In an interview on 3FM, Mr Ephson acknowledged his mistake but emphasized his extensive experience in covering elections.
He highlighted that out of the seven elections he has covered since 1996, he had only been incorrect in his prediction once, which was in 2016.
“These things don’t bother me because I’ve got a track record,” Mr Ephson asserted.
He further mentioned that the criticism he faced in 2016 was more severe than what he is currently experiencing, and it has not deterred him from making future predictions.
He stated that even renowned and scientifically conducted predictions from the United States of America sometimes fail to accurately forecast election outcomes.
Mr Ephson concluded by saying, “What if I got it right? I’m kind of used to it,” implying that he remains undeterred by the criticism and will continue making predictions in the future.
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