2023: Lawan, Gbajabiamila Task Presidential Candidates, Spokesmen on Issue-based Campaigns

•Religion not an issue, anti -corruption campaigns outdated, says Kukah 

Udora Orizu in Abuja 

As election campaigns commences in two weeks, President of the Senate, Ahmed Lawan and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila have tasked all political parties candidates and their spokesmen to focus on issue based campaigns rather than inconsequential, sometimes vile vituperation. 

The duo gave the charge on Monday while delivering their separate remarks at a high level forum on political communication and issue-based campaign in the 2023 general elections in Abuja, organized by the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) and the Kukah Centre.

Lawan, in his remarks asserted that the emergence of presidential candidates for political parties and the appointment of media spokespersons has thrown up the question of how political messages should be crafted and delivered and the consequence of messaging for the broader polity. 

While lamenting that in recent times, election campaigns have shifted focus from the core issues of governance to irrelevant and frankly nonsensical attacks on the personalities of the various candidates, the Senate President said the politicians, have once again distracted Nigerians from assessing those who seek political office based on the merit of their positions.

He noted that the 9th National Assembly have taken deliberate measures to strengthen democratic process particularly through the passage of the 2022 Electoral Act which made numerous innovations aimed at improving transparency and voter confidence. 

He further noted that the lawmakers have ensured that the needed funds are provided to INEC to deliver a hitch-free elections. 

He added that the meeting of the key players in the various political parties is intended to discuss the critical issue of campaign framing and stemming the tide of negative campaigning and create harmony.

Lawan said, “Since independence, elections in Nigeria have been characterised by polarising rhetoric and deep- seated divisions relating to ethnicity, religion and other primordial sentiments. These are well captured in the literature on elections and governance in Nigeria that show the damaging effects of negative campaigning over the years. Against this background and ahead of the commencement of campaigns, this forum assumes an even greater significance. The proliferation of the internet and social media platforms and the growing culture of fake news pose new dangerous and threats to our collective existence. Politicians at all levels must be cognisant of this and take measures to mitigate them. 

“For the first time since 1999, our campaigns have moved from substantive issues to inconsequential and sometimes vile vituperations. We have shifted our focus from the core issues of governance to irrelevant and frankly nonsensical attacks on the personalities of the various candidates.  Inadvertently, we are also exploiting primordial sentiments for political purposes, not minding the danger this poses to our democratic experiment.”

Corroborating Lawan’s statement, Speaker Gbajabiamila, in his remarks lamented that some of key provisions of the Electoral Act with regards to political campaigns, are already being flagrantly violated, particularly pertaining to the use of intemperate, slanderous and base language as well as insinuations or innuendoes that are clearly targeted at provoking violent reactions or emotions. 

According to him, It is easy to hurl insults at opponents, but it takes discipline, focus and political maturity to make our campaigns issue-based. 

The Speaker warms that it amounts to a great disservice and even a disconnect from the grim realities of Nigerians’ challenges, focusing on frivolous and inconsequential issues, warning that, the legislature is keen on forestalling the tendency of the political class to exploit cultural differences to further their political agenda.

Gbajabiamila added that media agencies should focus on protecting democracy and the rights of citizens to hold politicians and the government accountable. 

“As we prepare to commence campaign activities precisely nine days from today (statutorily for a period of 150 days before tolling day), it is critical that we familiarize ourselves with the rules of the game and set ourselves a basic standard of conduct mainly because of our place as leaders and weight that our utterances carry among our supporters and followers. The Electoral Act 2022, one of the most significant legislations passed by the National Assembly since 1999, contains critical provisions on the conduct of political campaigns. Section 92 states that “a political campaign or slogan shall not be tainted with abusive language directly or indirectly likely to injure religious, ethnic, tribal or sectional feelings’. Sub-section 2 is even more direct in its prohibition of intemperate, slanderous or base language, insinuations, or innuendoes designed or likely to provoke violent reactions or emotions’. 

“INEC must uphold and strictly implement the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022 and the Regulations and Guidelines. In this regard, INEC’s messaging should be simple, direct and devoid of ambiguities. The media occupies a central position in political campaigns and can be the difference between peaceful and destructive campaigns. However, at its worst, media can inadvertently enable the spread of false information and fuel uncivil discourse, breeding voter cynicism and distrust. This happens when the media chooses to focus on sensational news items and the personalities of individual politicians rather than substantive issues,” the Speaker said

In his keynote address, the Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Rev. Dr Mathew Kukah opined that in a saner clime, issues of religion should not dominate the polity.

According to him, Nigerians needed to be give a sense of belonging irrespective of their ethnic, political or religious beliefs.

He added that anti-corruption campaign message will not be fashionable in the forthcoming elections as Nigerians have seen it all.

The Bishop said, “I hear conversations on the quality of campaigns and how this campaign should be conducted. A campaigner seeks to draw your attention and there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s not that politicians are bad people, this is not the issue. It’s like people who have won election will tell you. Maybe what we thought are the issues when we were outside, now we are inside it’s different. The challenge therefore almost like everything else life, it’s about readjusting and figuring out how to make things work. 

“The greatest challenge for us is that our identity politics has not been well managed. The most important ingredient in politics is diversity. You have heard me in the last seven years or so, I have been relentless. I am convinced beyond reasonable doubt that had we developed the skills to manage diversity effectively and efficiently, that’s what is happening in other parts of the world. The question for every politician is what do I want to be known for? Nigeria has produced some dramatic politicians. There are people who can hold you spell bound. Every campaign must be characterized by a slogan. Nigeria politicians need to understand that wiping out corruption campaign no longer works. Nigerians are looking for a country they can believe in. Our identities are not a problem. Religion is not actually a problem. When you talk about issue based campaign, there has to be an aggregate of safety, how do you manage a country like Nigeria with so many religious and other differences.

“People have to get a sense that they are in this too. I think that when we talk about what the issue should be for 2023 election, it’s basically same thing we have been talking. Every Nigerian has looked himself in the mirror and ask themselves whether I’m a Christian or Muslim i am I better off now? Under saner moments we shouldn’t be talking about Muslim Muslim tickets. The questions Nigerians are asking are legitimate and it’s the responsibility of these politicians to deal with it. We need to re-image Nigeria, the Nigeria we have today is not something many of us can recognize. Nigerians don’t need a messiah this time. We can’t make the same mistake this time. We are the children, the last generation, we are the ones they left behind. The next election should ensure every Nigerian gets a seat in the tent”.

Earlier, in his welcome address, the Director General, NILDS, Prof. Abubakar Sulaiman said that political messages must be tailored to sustain Nigeria’s democracy.

According to him, the build-up to the 2023 general elections raises genuine concerns about the pattern of public communication among political actors, their publicity agents, and other related stakeholders, especially those actively engaged in media and communication.

On his part, the minister of information, Lai Mohammed represented a director of performing arts, National Arts Council and Culture, Sam Agi, while noting that hate speeches, misinformation and other ways of messages manipulating messages are apparent, tasked politicians on grassroot mobilization during campaigns.

In his remarks, the Chairman of Interparty Advisory Council, (IPAC) and Presidential candidate of the Action Democratic Party, Yabaji Sani assured that political parties candidates will run an issue-based campaigns.

Also, the Chairman Senate Committee on Media, Bashiru Ajibola in his goodwill message said, “it is very shocking that ahead of the general elections we are already getting it wrong. What we hear ahead of the election is status report on age, health, religion of candidates and so on other mundane issues. We should chanel our energy to get the democracy to work to lift our people out of the vicious cycle of poverty and so on.”