POLITICS OF CAMPAIGN SLOGANS ON THE PLATEAU
Modest Thoughts with Ayuba Yilgak'ha,
Throughout history, human beings have always enjoy the nurturing and motivating effect of believe systems as a driving force. Believe systems are systems of thoughts, philosophies or ideologies that propel and guide people on what to do and how to do it or what not to do, at all, in any institution or system, be it economic, social or political system. It is the invisible and single most important factor that drives human civilisation and progress.
Any phrase or word (s) used to smartly capture or describe one's stand point or believe in an enterprise or expedition is called mantra or slogan. For instance, the mantra describing the believe system of great Social crusader and political economists like Karl Marx is identified as Marxism. Those who stood for the economic principles and postulations of giant economists like John Maynard Keynes are labelled Keynesians. In economics, still, we have mantras, also known as school of thoughts, like the classicals, physiocrats, the monetarists, etc. In the natural sciences, Darwinism, Newtonian laws, Pythagoreans, etc are very good examples of mantras. Therefore, a mantra could be seen as a brief title of a law or believe system which have followers or seeks to convass sympathy and support from people, especially, in politics.
A mantra to a political party or politician, one who play the game of politics, is a strong weapon for political mobilisation. It can cause political victory or defeat to a political party depending on the prevailing dynamics, political mood and perception of the most influential players during elections. In other words, a political mantra that appeals to the dreams and aspirations of the greatest number, who are highly influential, is sure to guarantee electoral victory in a democracy which is surposedly a game of numbers. That is the magic behind populism as a political phenomenon.
Populism is a loose concept which relates to wide range of meanings and it originated from 19 century United States of America (Rodrick, 2018). It can be described here as a united action against corruption and anti - people policies. It is the mentality or belief system that appeals to the very essence of the people and could easily win their support. Therefore, a populist crusader or agent is a surposedly charismatic person who believe in the liberation of people from the cleavages of elites or establishments. The electoral victory of former President Donald J Trump of America, President Buhari of Nigeria, President Macron of France, for instance, were dictated by populist motivation represented by catchy campaign slogans.
A political slogan or mantra is so important in the game of politics such that political parties or political actors often contract marketing experts who have expertise in reading and understanding subsisting political mood of people and brainstorm to come up with suitable and timely mantras for them. The expectation is to have one that appeals to the very fibre or essence of the electorates, that is, quality life without offending the powers that be. That is the reason why political slogans developed for or by aspirants or candidates of a ruling party are always slidely different from those of their contenders in opposition parties.
Aspirants from a ruling platform who are enjoying the sympathy of the powers that be will always strived to strike a balance between trying to please the masses and those weilding substantial political powers. On the other hand, opposition aspirants are often critical or even satirical about the ruling platform. That is, using their mantra to paint a picture of better hope as against perceived failures of those in power. The only except to this posture is when an opposition aspirant is enjoying secret alliance with the powers that be (the ruling party) due to abnormal or unusual circumstances which, sometimes, play out in the game of politics. Here lies the possibility or case of betrayal or anti-party activities which are common occurrences in most political jurisprudence. Some aspirants might choose to be objective or neutral with their mantras and even this approach is a political strategy!
Politics, they say, is a game of interest. There are, however, three types of political interest in the game. These include personal interest, party interest and the people's interest. These categorisations correspond with the Greek hypothesis that there are three types of people in the society: The idiots, the tribalists and the citizens which are self-centred, sectional group centred and people's centred respectively.
Individual interest is an interest that is self - centred, self serving and bias in all intents and purposes. It is individual interest or the culture of individualism that breeds tendencies like the 'winner takes all', corruption, do-or-die politics, 'stomach infrastructure' politics. Party interest is an interest that is bias in favour of a particular political party and its sentiments. It is a sectional or group interest that has no regard for others outside that fold or enclave. This reflects the tribalists mentality. People's interest is the type of political interests that favours the common good. It is one that seeks to promote the welfare and security of the total population. This suits 'the citizen' description or Jeremy Bentham's utilitarian principle of "the greatest good for the greatest number" which is the greatest yearning of every society.
The three categories of interests sometimes interwoven. It is difficult to draw a clear cut distinction between and amongst who is carrying which type of political interests or the others. What is certain, however, is that each type of political interest has a way of influencing the political behaviour or actions of politicians. In other words, it is the type of political interest which an individual or the people or a party carries or projects which largely dictates the general behavioural pattern of people in the political system.
It follows, therefore, that the ability to properly situate the personal political interest of political actors could help in deciphering the general behavioural pattern of people in a polity. It is important to note also that for the purpose of political correctness, no rational politician will like himself to be associated with personal interest or self centredness but in practice most politicians, especially, in developing countries like ours are, and are often carefree about the common good of the citizenry.
The use of mantra to market the political interest of people has been an age long and universal practice, especially, during electioneering campaigns. For example, in the year 2008 when former American President (the then presidential candidate), Barack Obama and his Democratic party wanted to stop President George Bush Jr. from extending the Republican rule after his that was considered unfavourable to the American people, they came up with the mantra, "Change We Need" and they won, an indication that Americans were tired of the Republican approach to leadership at the time.
In 2017, dissatisfied with the Eight (8) years regime of Obama and his Democratic Party, the Republican party and their presidential candidate, Donald Trump floated the "America First" slogan and won the poll too. The mood of the American people at the time indicated that Obama's regime was not really taking care of the demostic contradictions in the country, a situation which led to job losses, especially, among American whites. In other words, Americans were tired of the 'father Christmas' or 'Big Brother' role America was playing through it foreign policy which was felt, was at the expense of its domestic economy.
A similar scenerio played out in Nigeria in 2015 when "The Breath of Fresh air" and "The Transformation Agenda" of former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and his People's Democratic Party (PDP) were sent packing through the 2015 "Change" mantra of President Muhammadu Buhari who was the candidate of All Progressives Congress(APC) and thereafter reelected under the "Next Level" slogan in 2019.
For the first time in Nigeria's history, an incumbent president was unseated in a democratic contest. The Change mantra was populist in content and really attracted sympathy from the Nigerian people who were, that time, at the verge of giving up on the country's journey to nationhood due, primarily, to escalating trend of insecurity which was occasioned by the activities of Boko Haram (BH) insurgents who were everywhere, attacking and bombing of places including the Eagle Square and the United Nations' office in Abuja. The promise to change the narrative at the time sounds promising; although, the people are currently agitating and chanting what has come to be known as "Change the Change" mantra.
Over the years, Nigeria has witnessed the emergence of political slogans like "One Nation One Destiny" of former President Shehu Shagari and NPN, his party which preached unity in diversity; "Hope'' by late MKO Abiola during the 1993 presidential poll. The Hope slogan served as a new vista of life from military dictatorship. We also had more recent ones like "The Atiku Plan" of 2019 and even the popular "Oto gee"(Enough is Enough) movement in Kwara State which unsettled the enduring Saraki political dynasty.
In Plateau State, from the Second Republic which took of in 1979, campaign slogans like "The Emancipator" of Chief Solomon Daushep Lar of blessed memory of 1979; the "Re-ingineering" mantra of Chief Joshua Chibi Dariye in 1999; the unsuccessful "Change" agenda of former governor Jonah David Jang in 2003 and his subsequent "Redemption" philosophy of 2007 and then the current "Rescue Mission" of Governor Lalong which began in 2015 were featured amongst others. However, the issue of whether the State has been emancipated, re-ingineered, changed or redeemed or even rescued from her problems shall be a discussion for another day. What is important in today's discourse is to analyse the political motivation for using those slogans and their respective implications.
The emancipation philosophy of Late Chief Lar was not unconnected to the Middle Belt struggle which the Elder Statesman and Second Republic Governor was a strong ambassador. Because of the importance and popularity of the liberation struggle, at the time, he won 1979 governorship in Plateau state which more reless the capital of Middle Belt under an opposition party, the Nigerian People's Party (NPP). The Governor defeated the candidate of National Party of Nigeria (NPN) which formed government at the centre and was particularly dominant in northern Nigeria.
Following the returned to democratic dispensation (Fourth Republic) in Nigeria in1999, the "Re-ingineering" mantra of Chief Dariye of Plateau state was, basically, targeted at rejigging the governance process in the state. The motivation in the wisdom of the Re-ingineering Apostle himself was to transform and leave the state better than he made it. However, in 2003, that is four years after the commencement of the Re-ingineering administration, former governor David Jang and the then All People's Party (APP) which was later renamed All Nigerian People's Party (ANPP) emerged with what was called "Change" mantra. The insinuation was that the Re-ingineering agenda was not working and so there was the urgent need to change it completely but the attempt to do so did not materialise because the incumbent governor was voted into power with the Vote Dariye Again (VODA) slogan.
In 2007, the Change Agenda metamorphosed into "Redemption" Agenda. This time, the slogan was marketed under the platform of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) and eventually had its way. This implies that political mantra alone does not guarantee electoral victory but party's influence too. It is also important to note that other complex political contradictions which led to the illegal impeachment of governor JC Dariye brightened the chance of the Redemption Captain.
After Eight years of the administration, the Redemption Captain ran into succession miscalculations elicited sharp and unsettling reactions from Plateau people. The then governor took zoning arrangements for granted and imposed Late GNS Pwajok whose slogan was "Greater Together" as PDP candidate as against the need to have one from the Southern Zone of the state. This action was viewed as enimical to the overall interest of the state and so the "Rescue Mission" of the then APC candidate, Rt. Hon. Barr. Lalong was adopted as a "Plateau Project" aimed at demystifying the hegemonic power of Baba Jang. The rest, they say, is history. The current Rescue regime of Rt. Hon. Barr. Simon Bako Lalong (KSM) which kick -started in 2015 materialised!
In the State today, as the tenure of the current regime nears expiration, street corners, billboards and the Social Media are saturated with campaign posters of aspirants with different incriptions or slogans like "Restoration", "Project Rescue Plateau", "Consolidation for Greater Plateau", "Hope Alive" "Generation Next", "Rebuilding Plateau", "Better Together" and "DVD Movement". Others are "Together we resolve, Restore for results", Herald of a new Plateau", "The Face of Hope for the Plateau of Our Dream", etc. A brief political analysis of some of these slogans will be attempted here.
Let's start with the Restoration Movement. To restore means gaining back something that has been lost or damaged. On its face value and in view of the current realities, "Restoration" as a slogan is catchy but must be politically unsettling to the APC government because the Captain of the Restoration Movement, at the time of adopting it, was a member of the ruling platform. Politically, the Restoration slogan ought to have come from an opposition aspirant because it looks like an indictment on the ruling party and incumbent governor. There is no doubt the incumbent is battling unfinished or many contradictions in the governance process but seeing that the Restoration Team was a family member and partner in progress, the incumbent must be expecting their prompt assistance and support to solve outstanding problems. Why waiting until when elected? Ain't the team step forward to assist the regime with better solution (s) if any?
It was not politically correct delaying or withholding solutions to nagging issues of the state especially as critical stakeholder who has the wherewithal to do so.Therefore, the Prime Mover of the Restoration movement and his handlers could be said to have committed technical political error in the choice of their campaign slogan slogan. Or could it be that the incumbent regime has so failed the state and become so unpopular that demeaning it will not make any difference? Whatever the consideration, it is no news that Plateau had had repeated history of producing governors with opposition credentials - The first, under NPP 1979 and then the second under APC in 2015. Now that the aspirant has promptly shifted base to Young Progessives Party (YPP), an opposition platform, the Restoration slogan will make better political sense.
It is also considered that, coming from the opposition aspirants of PDP extraction, campaign slogans like "Project Rescue Plateau", Rebuilding Plateau and "Together We Restore, Resolve for Result" are perceived as not politically out of place. It takes opposition aspirants or parties which can convincingly prove that something is wrong or missing in the subsisting regime to have people vote in favour them. Anything short of that is technically promoting the ruling political party and its candidates. The idea is that opposition party and candidates must always learn to proof that a ruling party has substantially failed even if through convincing propaganda to be given a chance. That is politics for you. It promises to be interesting how another Project Rescue Plateau will rescue the State from the grip of the current Rescue missionaries led by Governor Lalong!
Another slogan to be considered is the Consolidation. Consolidation simply means adding to what is available or what has been done. It is about value addition or improvement, therefore, the slogan "Consolidation for Greater Plateau" is viewed as politically correct because it is neither offensive to past regimes nor unsettling to the present one. The danger, however, is that if the past and present regimes have performed poorly in the estimation of the electorates, then, it could be misconstrued to mean, rightly or wrongly, consolidating on the failures of the past. With such notion, your guess will be as good as mine. Anyway, politics is all about risk taking!
Slogans like "Hope alive", "Herald of a New Plateau", "Better Together", "DVD Movement", "Generation Next", "The Face of Hope for The Plateau of Our Dream", etc., whether owned by ruling or opposition aspirants could be considered relatively neutral but the word neutrality does not exist in the game of politics. Although, when political situations gets very unpredictable, political neutrality becomes politically necessary. However, being politically correct is not necessarily the same thing as being objective. One can be politically correct but objectively wrong in the game of politics. It is, therefore, imperative to marry these hypothetical political correctness expressed through campaign slogans with practical objectivity. The is to fulfill all campaign promises made to people when elected.
It is important to reiterate the point that slogans and symbols are considered effective ways for attracting and retaining the attention of an audience (Mwantok, 2019; Magnus). In politics, the targets of slogans/symbols, as campaign instruments, are the electorates and power brokers. A politician who is seeking election, therefore, has to strike a balance between pleasing the voters and the power brokers who are capable of influencing the votes. Generally speaking, it is abnormal for registered party faithfuls or aspirants to demarket their respective political platforms either in action, speech or campaign slogan!
As far as Nigeria's subsisting electoral laws are concerned, an aspirant who has not crossed over the most critical party huddle laid down by electoral laws and processes, that is, party primaries will not be allowed to give a shot at any elective seat no matter how credible. This explains how powerful party platforms are in a party democracy. Hence, the need for registered party members, especially, those having ambition to contest any election to show conscious diplomacy when dealing with the party they belong.
Campaign slogans and symbols are not mere expressions but loaded carriers of deep meanings which should be properly digested by aspirants and voters alike. Do not take them at face value but interrogate to know what they really entail. When next you see a campaign poster, check the slogan it carries and ask critical question (s). Also, politicians who are contesting elections are advised, in their own best interest, to be thorough with their campaign slogans or symbols because they could make or mare their chances.
With prejudice towards none and love towards all, this essay is concluded with a caveat: There is nothing absolute about the submissions made in this piece but candid diagnosis of the issues involved in the politics of campaign slogans. Let's make plateau the best. Best wishes to all the contestants, best wishes to the state and its people!
*(Modest Thoughts with Ayuba Yilgak'ha, December15, 2021; SMS: 08116181263; Email:loisayuba420@gmail.com)*
*References*
Rodrik, D. (2018). Populism and the economics of globalisation. Journey of International Business Policy, 1- 22.
Magnus, O. (2018). Election 2019 and the meaningless campaign slogans. https://www.thecable.ng/election-2019-and-the-meaningless-campaign-slogans-2. Retrieved December 15, 2021.
Mwantok, M. (2019). A season of political campaign copycats, creative copies. https://guardian.ng/features/a-season-of-political-campaign-copycats-creative-copies/. Retrieved December 15, 2021.
