Alhaji Lai Mohammed, former Minister of Information and Culture, has disclosed how a two-pronged communication strategy contributed to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and President Bola Tinubu’s victory in the 2023 elections.
Mohammed shared his insights in his newly launched book, “Headlines and Soundbites: Media Moments that Defined an Administration”, which chronicles his experiences serving under the late President Muhammadu Buhari.
He recalled that prior to the elections, Buhari had warned ministers, permanent secretaries, and heads of government agencies to avoid political campaigns and focus on their official duties. However, Mohammed explained that he executed a campaign strategy that did not rely on rallies or rhetoric but focused on defending the truth, documenting government performance, and countering misinformation.
“At the time, the opposition was spreading the narrative that the APC-led Buhari administration had failed and had nothing to campaign on,” Mohammed wrote. “This claim was false, yet deliberately used to discredit the government, APC, and Tinubu ahead of the polls.”
To counter this, Mohammed said he adopted a two-pronged approach: systematically showcasing the administration’s achievements and decisively challenging the opposition’s misleading narrative.
Exactly 130 days before the elections, on October 18, 2023, the Ministry of Information launched the PMB Administration Scorecard Series (2015–2023). The initiative presented verified accomplishments of the Buhari administration across sectors, with ministers giving evidence-based reports on their respective portfolios. Each session included rigorous question-and-answer segments where journalists critically examined the presentations.
To maximize reach, Mohammed deployed a comprehensive multi-platform communication strategy, leveraging both traditional and digital media. Additionally, three days before the election, on February 22, 2023, the ministry unveiled the final set of legacy documentation tools, including a documentary, testimony series, a compendium of achievements in print and digital formats, and a legacy portal that offered global access to the scorecard presentations.
“The Scorecard Series was among the most innovative and impactful campaign strategies in Nigeria’s recent political history,” Mohammed wrote. “It gave Nigerians direct access to the outgoing administration’s achievements, presenting detailed, ministry-by-ministry policy successes, infrastructure developments, and sectoral reforms.”
He explained that the initiative shifted the dynamics of the election campaign. By placing verifiable facts in citizens’ hands, it forced opposition parties to remain on the defensive, often resorting to personal attacks rather than substantive arguments.
Mohammed emphasized that the success of the strategy lay in its subtlety and strict adherence to facts rather than political grandstanding. Anchoring the campaign on documented performance allowed the APC to reconnect with undecided voters and neutralize misinformation, demonstrating the power of strategic communication in shaping electoral outcomes without breaching institutional responsibilities.