The concept of public opinion is contested, this irrespective of whether the country is high-, middle-, or low-income. What constitutes the public, what political concepts and values constitute that body's opinion, and what processes are used to measure the said opinion continue to be matters for debate.

The accuracy of sample surveys depends on the following factors. One, the sample should be large enough to yield the desired level of precision. The size of the required sample for any survey can be statistically determined. Those who do not have the experience can use statistical tables that provide various sample sizes based on the population size of the universe.

LP_Commentary_I_3May2014.indd (csds.in)

We do not trust the research and studies of opinion polls in our societies, because they lack the culture of the questionnaire. Therefore, we find the inaccuracy of this type of studies because even the elite groups do not care about the accuracy of the answer.

Sir, public opinion polls is one of the technique of qualitative and also quantatative research. Accuracy of that type of technique depends on the quality of sample. It also depends on the nature of the issue of research. In the case of societal issues related to political, economic and cultural the technique more or less accurate. Moreover, in the case of public policy issues, the technique gives more or less accurate result. However in the case of developing countries, majority of the people suffering from their basic livelihoods; so they are not able to gives their opinion from their cognitive knowledge in many cases. Degree of cognitive knowledge depends on quality of education (formal and informal), values of that society and their livelihood status. Due to such problems accuracy of public opinion polls in developing countries always should not be accurate. But till public opinion polls is one of the best technique of research in every nature of states.

In a developing country like Nigeria, public opinion polls are very much lacking and not visible, because the government of the day do not seek the opinions of its masses for anything.