A FEELING of controlled jubilance rippled through the AKEL Nicosia campaign head offices minutes after the results of the first exit polls were released.
“Whatever happens, it looks like we’re getting through,” one AKEL supporter mused.
By 5.30pm, members of AKEL youth group (EDON) had started to gather outside the building, all eyes glued to the huge projection screen flashing the first results.
Leaders in the first exit polls yesterday were AKEL candidate Demetris Christofias and incumbent President Tassos Papdopoulos.
Christofias was leading on two of the four exit polls and Papadopoulos led on the other two.
Both Sigma and CyBC, the only two channels who carried out exit polls at the ballot boxes gave Christofias 32-34 per cent, and put DISY candidate Ioannis Kasoulides and Papadopoulos neck at neck with 31-33 per cent each.
Antenna and Mega, which carried out telephone exit polls, put Papadopoulos in the lead with 32-35 per cent, Christofias 31-34 per cent and Kasoulides 30-33 per cent of the vote.
While the DISY folk were unsure of what to make of the exit poll results, and DIKO officials kept a low profile at the Papadopoulos camp, at AKEL the excitement was palpable as the youngsters joked among themselves, unconcerned that it had started to drizzle. Only a few older AKEL supporters had come prepared, popping open their umbrellas as their unflinching eyes remained fixed on the screen.
Inside the head office, AKEL supporters, donning their Demetris Christofias badges, paced the floor.
“It looks like there are going to be a lot of heart attacks tonight. I just hopes it’s others doing the drinking,” one man said.
Another man had crept out on the stairwell to make a quick phone call: “Don’t worry we’re definitely getting through [to the second round].”
The word at AKEL was the CyBC exit poll was the most reliable to go with.
“I must say I’m impressed with Kasoulides’ performance. He was the one lagging behind and look how his percentages have gone up,” another man added.
“Isn’t that always the way? DISY have a tradition of rallying the troops at the eleventh hour. They’ve always been like that,” another AKEL supporter replied as he rushed off to another room on the second floor, where journalists milled around waiting for statements.
By 5.45pm a few car horns could be heard as their drivers passed the head offices just off Makarios Avenue.
AKEL supporters and journalists huddled round any TV screen available inside the campaign office.
“I was always optimistic our leader would get through,” said an AKEL man.
It was clear that the left-wing party was confident their man would get through and that incumbent President Tassos Papadopoulos and DISY candidate Ioannis Kasoulides would be the ones battling it out for a place in the second round.
“From what it looks like Demetris will get through, whether he’s in first or second place. We’re optimistic about that,” said another.
An hour before the exit polls were released, Demetris Christofias had arrived at the campaign office, where he immediately convened with his campaign team, including AKEL spokesman Andros Kyprianou, on the seventh floor.
Although he told reporters he was “optimistic” about the outcome of the elections, he declined to comment after the results of exit polls.
Down at DIKO, officials were holed up in their offices and the atmosphere was subdued.
DISY supporters were unsure of what to make of the exit polls and refrained from appearing too jubilant.
The CyBC poll, carried out by Pulse Market Research was the biggest exit poll every carried out in Cyprus with 8,500 people asked who they had voted for five minutes before.
Pulse had researchers at 40 voting centres around the island and a special centre set up to issue results, first with and 80 per cent total, revised again when 90 per cent had been analysed and again when all of the exit poll votes had been counted.
Pulse spokesman Yiannis Mavris told CyBC that even though it was the first time such a large exit poll was done in Cyprus, such polls were not definitive.
Also in this case, the race was very close, Mavris said.
In the end, with all the exit polls giving vague figures with wide margins of error, they were all right.
