Focus On Issue-Based Campaigns – Lawan, Gbajabiamila Tells Candidates

Prior to the 2023 general elections, the country’s political parties and their candidates were urged to concentrate on issue-based campaigning by the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila.

They highlighted that, in accordance with Section 94(1) of the Electoral Act 2022, the Independent National Electoral Commission has set September 28, 2022, as the formal start of political party campaigns for the 2023 general elections.

At a one-day ‘High-level forum on political communication and issue-based campaign in the 2023 general elections’ in Abuja, Lawan and Gbajabiamila gave speeches.

The National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies organized the discussion in collaboration with The Kukah Center.

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Even though Nigeria has made great strides and the majority of Nigerians favor democracy, according to Lawan, all citizens have a duty to defend the system.

He said, “Rather than unite us, politics has become a tool for promoting our differences and further endangering national unity.

“Against this background and ahead of the commencement of campaigns, this forum assumes an even greater significance.

“I wish to passionately implore all stakeholders to be conscious of their messaging and focus on an issue-based campaign that shuns violence and hates speech.

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“As the most populous black nation and the largest democracy in Africa, the burden is on us to deliver credible and peaceful elections.”

Earlier, Gbajabiamila bemoaned the fact that political campaign laws are already being broken, noting that everyone involved in Nigeria’s democracy is still responsible for conducting political campaigns.

Therefore, in order to stop divisive political campaigns in the nation, the speaker urged the INEC to strictly enforce the pertinent provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022.

He stated, “The task of a responsible political campaign is the responsibility of all stakeholders in our democracy.

“INEC must uphold and strictly implement the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022 and the Regulations and Guidelines.”

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Gbajamiabila added, “In this regard, INEC’s messaging should be simple, direct, and devoid of ambiguities.

“Only recently, the Commission has had to clarify some reports that seemed to suggest that election results in the 2023 general election will be manually collated.

“In an era of fake news and misinformation meant to mislead and cause political upheavals, INEC is tasked with staying ahead in its messaging to forestall possible misrepresentation and confusion.”

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While giving the opening speech, the Director General of NILDS, Professor Abubakar Sulaiman, said the forum was organised in line with the mandate of the Institute to discuss the pertinent issues shaping political communication in Nigeria at the moment.

He said, “This is borne out of the conviction that better communication and negotiation can create harmony and more desirable outcomes in politics.

“Election campaigns should centre on robust debates about the competency and programmes of candidates.”