It is a well known fact that in Nigerian elections, funding is a very big factor. Millions are spent to secure the party nomination and much more is spent campaigning to get to power. For this reason, we have politicians looting the treasury to secure their reelection bid. Those that go for sponsors from political godfathers have to pay back with appointments and contracts when in power.
This begs the question, how do you win an election with smaller funds and a party platform with no national spread? An uphill battle you might say and a miracle is required.
Something happened in the last Presidential election that changed my views about the Nigerian electorate. I always believed that it was hard to defeat and incumbent president because of the resources at its disposal. It was clear that the Peoples Democratic Party outspent the All Progressive Congress and they had more machinery in all 36 states of the federation. What then went wrong that people abandoned the stomach infrastructure and went with a different party.
Firstly, a strong coalition was built between parties that came in second and third in the previous elections. Going by the last published INEC records we have 46 registered political parties in the database. With the exclusion of APC and PDP, that will make 44 parties. Some of these parties have dominance in the different regions of the country. We can have an agreement between APGA in South East, Labour in South West, NCP in South West and one dominant party in the North. After which we can start searching for candidates and having meetings to build the coalition.
Secondly, get strong candidates and sell them. While the PDP went with the old order and preached transformation, the APC carefully picked out a candidate that is well liked in the Northern part of the country who had little to no dirt on him so as to sell a new message. Then they complimented him with a vice presidential candidate who used to be a pastor from the largest church in Nigeria and a professor of law from the southwestern region of the country. This way, if you are not happy the candidate is a Muslim, his vice is a pastor. If you are not happy the candidate is from the North, his vice is from the South.If you are not happy the candidate was a former military general, his vice is a professor of law and a democrat. They got the combination that will make for a good sell in a multicultural nation like Nigeria. This means that after forming this coalition the candidates have to meet the criteria of what people are asking for today.
Our candidate for 2019 has to be a young technocrat , vast in economic policies and messaging, a nationalist to the core and his vice president has to be from the academia with good messaging for school to job transition programs. Both candidates can't be from same region and religion. Its so hard that I have to say this in this day and age but people withdraw to their tribal and religious sentiments when it is time to make important decisions. So we have to show federal character and religious ubiquity.
Next is the messaging of the campaign. Slogans are very powerful but you have to be known for something. In the last election, PDP went with 'TRANSFORMATION' which was just lame because it was the same person in power contesting. It should have been continuity and something about the grass not being greener at the other side. The APC countered that with 'CHANGE' and the message was just made for the candidate. War on corruption, Ending insurgency and Economic prosperity. The candidate was a former general in the Nigerian army known for his stands against corruption. The PDP tried to counter this message by telling Nigerians he violated human rights while fighting corruption the last time he was in office. This message actually helped the candidate of the APC because the masses were willing to see corrupt politician serve live long sentences for plunging the nation into a recession.
For the new candidates in 2019 the slogan has to point towards doing away with the old politicians and having new faces in Aso rock. That way we can counter both APC and PDP at the same time.
The overall strategy will be for APC and PDP to split its votes while the majority vote for this new coalition.
Funding is a vital part of elections everywhere in the world. While others raise funds for advertising and door to door movements to turn out votes, we raise funds in Nigeria for advertising and stomach infrastructure during rallies. It will be very easy for the PDP and APC to raise money for elections because they have access to the nations treasury but the new coalition should instead look towards company CEOs in Nigeria and diaspora that intend to work with them to take power from the old politicians. It is obvious that this funds will not match that of our opponents but we will spend smart and make up for the lapses with messaging and practical manifestos. Note that 70% of the Nigerian populace are tired of the same old politicians but have no better choice sometimes in these elections. Finances should be spent on weekly to daily adverts in English and Nigerian languages all over the 36 states, social media promotions and short YouTube videos in English and the various Nigerian languages, stomach infrastructure is necessary but has to be strategic. Instead of doing a rally style sharing of money, go to all local communities and setup lasting projects. Target essentials like water, light, school donations, e.t.c. When you talk to the local monarchs you will know what to do. Don't take on too much projects, just do enough to let them know that when you get into power, you will do more.
Finally, you need elders that know this game in every locality. Sure most of them will be party affiliates of the larger parties but don't let that deter you. Everybody needs some major recognition. The two big parties have outgrown some of this local elders.Woo them to work for the party and offer local positions or even party elder positions. You need them for grass root mobilization that is hitch free. They control the local unions and street thugs that may give you problems on ground.
Mobilization at all levels is required and the rally has to be on economic prosperity, jobs, taking the country away from the old politicians
Despite all what have been highlighted above, a free and fare election is required to ensure success. This is why we need those that will be generally used to perpetuate this electoral fraud to be on our side and act as the watch dogs for us to sail through.
Thank you for reading and let me know what you think about this strategy and which two combinations will meet your criteria for a strong leadership in Nigeria come 2019.
This begs the question, how do you win an election with smaller funds and a party platform with no national spread? An uphill battle you might say and a miracle is required.
Something happened in the last Presidential election that changed my views about the Nigerian electorate. I always believed that it was hard to defeat and incumbent president because of the resources at its disposal. It was clear that the Peoples Democratic Party outspent the All Progressive Congress and they had more machinery in all 36 states of the federation. What then went wrong that people abandoned the stomach infrastructure and went with a different party.
Firstly, a strong coalition was built between parties that came in second and third in the previous elections. Going by the last published INEC records we have 46 registered political parties in the database. With the exclusion of APC and PDP, that will make 44 parties. Some of these parties have dominance in the different regions of the country. We can have an agreement between APGA in South East, Labour in South West, NCP in South West and one dominant party in the North. After which we can start searching for candidates and having meetings to build the coalition.
Our candidate for 2019 has to be a young technocrat , vast in economic policies and messaging, a nationalist to the core and his vice president has to be from the academia with good messaging for school to job transition programs. Both candidates can't be from same region and religion. Its so hard that I have to say this in this day and age but people withdraw to their tribal and religious sentiments when it is time to make important decisions. So we have to show federal character and religious ubiquity.
Next is the messaging of the campaign. Slogans are very powerful but you have to be known for something. In the last election, PDP went with 'TRANSFORMATION' which was just lame because it was the same person in power contesting. It should have been continuity and something about the grass not being greener at the other side. The APC countered that with 'CHANGE' and the message was just made for the candidate. War on corruption, Ending insurgency and Economic prosperity. The candidate was a former general in the Nigerian army known for his stands against corruption. The PDP tried to counter this message by telling Nigerians he violated human rights while fighting corruption the last time he was in office. This message actually helped the candidate of the APC because the masses were willing to see corrupt politician serve live long sentences for plunging the nation into a recession.
The overall strategy will be for APC and PDP to split its votes while the majority vote for this new coalition.
Funding is a vital part of elections everywhere in the world. While others raise funds for advertising and door to door movements to turn out votes, we raise funds in Nigeria for advertising and stomach infrastructure during rallies. It will be very easy for the PDP and APC to raise money for elections because they have access to the nations treasury but the new coalition should instead look towards company CEOs in Nigeria and diaspora that intend to work with them to take power from the old politicians. It is obvious that this funds will not match that of our opponents but we will spend smart and make up for the lapses with messaging and practical manifestos. Note that 70% of the Nigerian populace are tired of the same old politicians but have no better choice sometimes in these elections. Finances should be spent on weekly to daily adverts in English and Nigerian languages all over the 36 states, social media promotions and short YouTube videos in English and the various Nigerian languages, stomach infrastructure is necessary but has to be strategic. Instead of doing a rally style sharing of money, go to all local communities and setup lasting projects. Target essentials like water, light, school donations, e.t.c. When you talk to the local monarchs you will know what to do. Don't take on too much projects, just do enough to let them know that when you get into power, you will do more.
Finally, you need elders that know this game in every locality. Sure most of them will be party affiliates of the larger parties but don't let that deter you. Everybody needs some major recognition. The two big parties have outgrown some of this local elders.Woo them to work for the party and offer local positions or even party elder positions. You need them for grass root mobilization that is hitch free. They control the local unions and street thugs that may give you problems on ground.
Mobilization at all levels is required and the rally has to be on economic prosperity, jobs, taking the country away from the old politicians
Despite all what have been highlighted above, a free and fare election is required to ensure success. This is why we need those that will be generally used to perpetuate this electoral fraud to be on our side and act as the watch dogs for us to sail through.
Thank you for reading and let me know what you think about this strategy and which two combinations will meet your criteria for a strong leadership in Nigeria come 2019.
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