Anil Nandlall has a huge lead in popular support over Dr. Frank Anthony and Irfaan Ali in blog responses to the poll conducted and published by Dr. Kirk Meighoo for Turkeyn Research and Polling Institute (TRPI). The poll was conducted in late August and early September.Dr. Meighoo penned a commentary on the findings of the poll last week. Dr. Meighoo, who has been among the top half-percent of academics searched on academia.edu, is a leading political analyst in Trinidad and Tobago and hosts a weekly global podcast on political movements around the world.
There were thousands of readership of the findings and blog responses. Based on the responses, the former Attorney General Anil Nandlall is the most popular of the candidates for the PPP, followed by former Culture Minister Dr. Frank Anthony, and former Housing Minister Irfaan Ali.The Dr. Meighoo poll had Nandall and Anthony neck and neck with Irfaan trailing way behind in support. Nandlall is the overwhelming favorite in blog responses. Irfaan has virtually no support with respondents saying PPP is taking big risks with Ali’s candidacy that could see it remaining in opposition for a further five years. The general feeling among respondents in the poll and in blog responses is that with either Nandall or Anthony as Presidential candidate the PPP will win the general election against incumbent President David Granger. Irfaan faces an uphill task to win the most votes with few respondents showing a preference for him. The Meighoo poll revealed similar findings.
On candidate selection and political strategy, respondents commented that the PPP is doing a repeat of 2011 and 2015 and expect different results. A majority says PPP is going down to defeat because of stubbornness. Significant number of voters continue to express disenchantment with APNU, PPP, and AFC.Although supporters of the PPP don’t like and or want Ali voters, they will still vote PPP because of the mis-governance of the coalition APNU+AFC.
In the March 2nd election, the coalition is likely to prevail forming the government with a plurality or the largest bloc of voters. Voters describe Mr. Granger as a man of integrity whose academic credentials and certificates are unmatched by Mr. Ali.