A governor has rubbished recent poll findings that suggested that ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi is the most popular political leader in te former Western Province.
Busia's Sospeter Ojaamong' said the survey was initiated with a hidden agenda.
The survey ranked the five governors of Kakamega, Bungoma, Busia, Vihiga and Trans Nzoia counties against their competitors for the 2017 elections.
According to the poll findings, Mr Ojaamong' ranked lower in popularity ratings against his competitor who scored 35.1 percent popularity rating against the county chief's 28.4 percent.
Addressing a press conference in his office on Wednesday, Ojaamong' faulted the researchers claiming one of the people who initiated the idea plans to be running mate to one his 2017 competitors.
"I am not shaken by such machinations," he said.
"In the count down to 2013 general elections, I was ranked seventh in the polls but I proved critics wrong by emerging first to become the Governor of Busia County."
"I am satisfied with the ranking since it is County residents who will determine who will be their second governor but not a few people meeting in a pub to release the results as if there are no institutions in Busia."
The poll findings ranked Mudavadi (71%) as the most popular political leader in Western followed by Ford Kenya party leader Moses Wetangula and Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya who tied at 30 percent.