Propaganda, Persuasion and Lobbying
In modern day politics, persuasion, lobby and propaganda are indispensable components. The politics is between vision and practicality. Also, politics is a mongrel craft. So, persuasion, lobbying and propaganda are indispensable tools that General Buhari/Osibanjo must use them to a maximum to achieve targeted goal.
For example, in Massachusetts (USA) senatorial-by election, President Barrack Obama called for democrat party supporters to turnout massively to vote for Mrs. Martha Coakley, democrat senatorial candidate, Obama says “ –but we need your help to pay for it”. The words ‘help’ means “pleading with someone to assist, to support or to make things easier”.
This is a typical example of persuasion/lobbying and good communication; such kinds of words should be used all the time to ensure voters are persuaded and be lobbied to support the candidature of Buhari/Osibanjo.
As observed by Karen S. Johnson-Cartee and Gary A. Copeland, “Persuasion sources craft messages designed to exert influence on individuals (shape perception or impression) through the tapping of psychological mechanisms, that is, affect, personality, cognitive schema, and so on. While persuasion may occur through interpersonal or mass communication channels, persuasion is far more effective on the interpersonal level, because the opportunity for true interaction allows the source to adjust the message in response to the perceived needs and reactions of “the receiver”. Also Aristotle remarked that “persuasion should trigger emotion not reasoning”. In this situation, apart from using all means of communications, door to door persuasive campaign in every village in Nigerian States will result to a very favorable outcome.
Propaganda is also an important tool in democratic campaign and political marketing as well as political communication and lobbying. But what is propaganda? According to Longman dictionary of contemporary English 2002 edition, propaganda means “ information which is false or which emphasizes just one part of a situation, used by a Government or political group to make people agree with them or something done to show one political opinion”. In this respect, we are to use the first meaning for defensive reason and then use the second meaning to promote the party’s (APC) ideology or opinion. Therefore, Buhari/Osinbajo 2015 must build propaganda machine for the purpose of prevention in case of negative attack from opponent, and promoting the image and virtues ofthe APC candidate Buhari/Osibanjo in Nigerian States.
Karen S. Johnson and Gary A. Copeland observed that, “A sound strategic communication plan always begins with one doing his homework or conducting appropriate research”. In a nutshell, propaganda campaign should not be done off-head or be framed, rather, it has to be accurately and precisely planned to avoid a negative effect on APC campaign team or the personality of General Buhari/Osinbanjo.
Choukas (1965) opined (In strategic political communication 2007, Pp 77) that, “For the successful propagandist is one that is highly knowledgeable about his or her intended audience, and such knowledge comes only through extensive and intensive homework or research”. Subsequently, experts in political propaganda must be employed and be tasked with the job. Although Lai Mohammed of APC party is performing very well, but more experts need to be involved for better, accurate and precise result.
Strategic plan on how to play a dominant and dynamic game in politics
The O. K. Moore observed in his none zero sum game strategy that: “whenever the communication structure does not permit players to divide the task ahead of time according to an explicit plan, it may not be easy to coordinate behavior in course of the game. Players have to understand each other to do cover pattern of individual behavior that make each player’s actions predictable to the other; they have to test each other for a shared sense of pattern or regularity and to exploit clinches, conventions and impromptu codes for signaling their intentions and responding to each other’s signals.
They must communicate by hint and by suggestive behavior”. Moore further says: “if chess is the standard example of a zero-sum game, charades may typify the game of pure coordination; if pursuit epitomizes, the zero sum game, rendezvous may do the same for the coordination game.” In any situation; be it, in chess game, war that needs coalition building or political strategy that strategizing how to win democratic votes, there is always the need of coordination between the team players. In this strategy, constant communication and meetings among the campaign team members is very vital.
For example, door to door political campaign in every chapter, city or villages is a very good strategy. Also creating what we call in political strategy, ‘Media Operation Centre’ (M.O.C) will assist a lot in dealing and manipulating news and information and at the same time use political marketing as a tool in convincing and persuading Nigeria's people on supporting the APC party to achieve its aims and objectives in the coming Presidential election of February 14, 2015.
May God support you to to salvage Nigeria and Nigerians!
May God save Nigeria and Nigerians.
Abbati Bako,psc
Kent,UK (Political Strategist)
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