Abiodun Identifies Public Opinion Management to Sustain Democracy

James Sowole in Abeokuta

Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun has identified the prioritisation of public opinion as a veritable means of bridging the gap between the government and the governed.

The governor said the only way to have a sustainable democracy is to take public opinion management seriously, and which is often shaped by media and interest groups that play a significant role in influencing government policies and actions.

He made this assertion in his address at the 2023 Colloquium of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Ogun State chapter, with the theme: ‘Pluralism and Public Opinion Management: Challenges and Prospects for Sustainable Democracy in Nigeria’.

Represented by his Deputy, Mrs. Noimot Salako-Oyedele, the governor pointed out that through public opinion, one could foster trust and build a sustainable democratic society.

He noted that his government had tremendously succeeded in institutionalising high self-esteem among the people by creating an enabling environment for individuals to grow without hindrance.

Abiodun said:  “As the governor of Ogun State, I am committed to creating an inclusive and participatory governance system, and we have initiated various programmes and policies aimed at encouraging the citizens to participate in the decision-making process and ensuring that their voices are heard.”

He hinted that some of his administration’s interventions include multiple housing estates for low and high-income earners, a fully-equipped state hospital, a thriving tech industry, and an increase in foreign direct investment in line with his ISEYA mantra.

While commending the Ogun State NIPR for efforts in promoting the profession, he urged the government, media, civil society groups, and the public to work together in promoting pluralism and public opinion management towards harnessing the prospects for sustainable democracy in Nigeria and overcoming the challenges associated with it.

On his part, the President and Chairman in the Council of NIPR, Mallam Mukhtar Sirajo, represented by a member of the Council, Mrs. Nkechi Balogun, commended the leadership of the NIPR, Ogun State chapter, for its unrelenting efforts in promoting the profession.

 Earlier in her address, the state Chairman, of NIPR, Mrs. Oluwaseun Boye, urged public relations practitioners to be steadfast in upholding the truth, promoting accuracy, and dispelling rumours, to safeguard the integrity of the country’s democratic system.

The Guest Lecturer at the event, Professor of Political Science, Adelaja Odukoya, declared that for Nigeria’s democracy to survive, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and law enforcement agencies must stop treating electoral infractions with kid gloves.

Odukoya, the dean of Faculty of Social and Management Sciences, University of Lagos, said it was regrettable that many electoral offenders have gone unpunished.

This, according to him has encouraged more people to break the law.

Odukoya lamented that “the present authoritarian, anti-people, exploitative and irresponsible style of leadership in Nigeria cannot promote the country’s democracy.”