As the 2023 electioneering process reaches its peak amid concerns about violent campaign, the Grassroot Independent Campaign Council of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has trained its state coordinators on anger management and effective communication.
Speaking at the retreat holding at the international conference centre, Abuja, the director, Media and Publicity of the council, Hilliard Eta, said this was the first time that the grassroots of Nigeria were targeted for the purposes of bringing the message of campaign for its presidential candidate to the people in a way it would resonate with them.
According to him, the essence of the retreat was to equip the foot soldiers of the party on how to market the candidate of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and convince more Nigerians.
Eta said, “Before an army sets out for its responsibility, it must be tutored in a manner to engage the objective. This is to equip the combatants, what I call the battalions. You know when you get the BAT, you get the BATtalions – to equip the battalions to go to the hinterland, the grassroots of Nigeria to do the work for which they have been given to do.”
The former acting national chairman of APC urged the electorate not to listen to the sound bite that is couched in mudslinging and character assassination.
He said, “In the name of the God you (electorate) worship, take away all the distractions and listen to the message and when anybody comes to tell you that he is going to do something miraculous and fantastic today, ask him what he did yesterday because talk is cheap.”
He further noted that none of the major presidential aspirants is unknown because their antecedents were in the public space.
On the essence of effective communication, Dr Joko Okupe, said members of the campaign council are in the business of converting opposition members.
He stressed the need to remain focused on what they are selling, adding that the purpose of going out was to sell the candidacy of Tinubu and win the hearts and minds of the people.
Okupe noted: “Our strategy has to be clear and we have to be consistent with it. We must try to understand the specific objections of the electorate. We must understand the mindset of the people we are talking to about the candidate
“When we respond to objection, we must respond logically. In doing that we need to be factual and simple, we must breakdown the communication to their level instead of talking above their heads
“Opposition does all manner of things, there is misinformation, fake news, campaign of calumny, and even personal vendetta. There must be cohesion and harmony in our message. We must preempt the opposition on what they are going to be raising as issues and we must be prepared to proffer answers that will diffuse their lies.”
Some other resource persons at the retreat were former minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh and Senators Binta Masari Binta.
Among the persons at the retreat were: former deputy governor of Nasarawa State and national coordinator of TSGICC, deputy national coordinators, directors, deputy directors and assistant directors.
