Mussa Dankwah is like a ‘lotto doctor’ – Miracles Aboagye

The Director of Communications for the Bawumia Campaign Team, Dennis Miracles Aboagye, has dismissed recent polling data by Global InfoAnalytics, likening its lead analyst, Mussa Dankwah, to a “lotto doctor” and questioning the credibility of his projections. His remarks add to ongoing political debate in Ghana over the reliability of opinion polls ahead of future elections.

His comments follow findings by Global InfoAnalytics, which suggest that support for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) is declining, while the National Democratic Congress (NDC) is gaining ground among voters, based on early results from an ongoing March 2026 tracking poll. The poll is part of a series of voter sentiment studies that aim to gauge political trends between election cycles.

Speaking on JoyNews’ AM Show on Tuesday, April 7, Mr Aboagye maintained that the polling firm’s work lacks credibility and should not be taken seriously. The AM Show is one of Ghana’s prominent political talk programs, often featuring discussions on governance, elections, and public policy.

“You know my position on Global InfoAnalytics; there’s no credibility when it comes to them. A lot of people make predictions. I predicted Dr Mahamudu Bawumia was going to win, didn’t I? That doesn’t mean whatever I say should be taken as fact,” he stated. His comment reflects skepticism among some political actors about privately conducted polling in Ghana.

Pressed on whether he dismisses the data entirely, Mr Aboagye replied, "It's not about taking his data seriously or not. There’s no firm position on him in this country. It’s mostly conjecture and extrapolation. People predict; that’s what they do. Like I’ve said before, he’s like a lotto doctor.” His analogy suggests he views the predictions as speculative rather than data-driven.

He further questioned the basis of the firm’s methodology, suggesting that its conclusions are driven more by personal sentiment than empirical evidence. Concerns about polling methodology—such as sample size, geographic representation, and data collection techniques—are often central to debates about survey credibility.

“Which data? Which numbers? Every morning he wakes up and, based on how he feels about an issue, he puts something out,” he said. This criticism underscores broader tensions between political campaign teams and independent research organisations.

Mr Aboagye also alleged that the pollster reacts to disagreements by producing targeted polling.

“Even me, when I disagreed with him on specific issues, the next day he came out with polling about me. He actually did, surprisingly,” he claimed. Such allegations, if substantiated, could raise questions about objectivity and impartiality in political polling.

Citing past elections, he argued that some of the pollsters’ projections have proven inaccurate. Election polling in Ghana has historically produced mixed results, with some projections aligning with outcomes while others have faced criticism.

“He predicted Ayawaso East, and he got it completely wrong. Then he came back, trying to justify it, all based on emotions,” he said. The reference highlights previous instances where polling outcomes have been publicly disputed.

According to him, attempts to explain away incorrect predictions further undermine the credibility of such polls. Analysts often note that transparency in methodology and post-election analysis is key to maintaining trust in polling institutions.

Despite his criticism, Mr Aboagye acknowledged that the pollster is operating a business. “He’s doing his work. For him, it’s business. He has an office, he has a team, and he has to maintain them. So let’s put that aside,” he added. This acknowledgment points to the commercial nature of private research firms, even as their outputs influence public discourse.