Minister for Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola has disclosed that conducting researches on people-oriented programs was responsible for the All Progressives Congress, APC’s victory during the 2015 general elections.
Mr Fashola stated this while delivering a keynote address at the maiden Lagos State University Research fair with the theme: ‘Driving national development through research and innovation’.
The minister said as soon as the party was registered by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, its first assignment was to carry out a research because of the masses’ disenchantment with the then ruling party.
He said: “APC was formed at a period many thought the country was at the brink of collapse.
“So what we did ahead of the general elections was carry out a research on what Nigerians wanted.
“We set up different committees one of which I was a member. We then conducted opinion study for about 20,000 Nigerians nationwide.
“This also included a face- to- face interactions with some Nigerians. In the end, we had data upon which we drew our conclusions.
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“I remember security was top on the list, followed by corruption, education and then economic growth in that order.
“The result was a landslide victory for APC during the election,” Mr Fashola said.
On the importance of research to national development, he added: “When APC was formed, many pundits described it as ‘a marriage of strange bed-fellows’.
“Many even said it would not be registered by the Independent National Electoral Commission. Ironically, this is the same party that went on to win election against the incumbent.
“This is very rare in the nation’s political history, and therefore calls for research.”
