Jonathan solicits votes through voice messages

Posted by admin Goodluck Jonathan (2010-present), Presidency Sunday, March 6th, 2011

Ahead of the forthcoming presidential election, President Goodluck Jonathan has added a new dimension to his campaign strategy by sending voice messages to GSM subscribers to solicit for their votes.

In the short voice messages listened to by our correspondent on Sunday evening through telephone No: 014406008, the Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate talked about his plans for the country if elected as the President.

Jonathan in the messages, which had been received by many Nigerians as their caller tunes, said, “I am Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan. My goal is the total transformation to ensure that Nigeria is a true home for all its citizens. A country where there is adequate power supply, a secured environment for businesses and schools, to deliver the best education for our children; a country where no one will go to bed hungry. Vote me in for the next four years and together we will achieve the Nigeria of our dreams. I promise, I will not let you down.”

An investigation by our correspondent has shown that Nigerians perceived the messages as good initiative.

Political analysts, lawyers and leading bureaucrats have also said that the strategy is an effective ways of selling the manifestoes of a candidate to voters.

Some respondents, who would not want to be mentioned said that those behind the initiatives should be encouraged.

One of them said, “The approach is one of the most successful ways of campaigning and mobilising voters for election. The caller tunes is aimed at educating voters on why they should vote for the Goodluck/Sambo team come April 2011. This new approach has changed the way electioneering is carried out in Nigeria from the old sloganeering, godfatherism, Ghana-must-go and rigging, to an issue-based one-on-one campaign.”

Another said, “The approach has introduced personal touch to the electioneering campaign process, availed prospective voter the opportunity to know some of the manifestoes of the President in specific terms and more importantly, convey to them the fact that they are vital to the entire process that will lead to his emergence as the next President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

“The approach will entrench and re-enforce the principle of issue-based politics in Nigeria, where election can only be won by first winning the hearts and minds of voters,” another said, adding, “Superior arguments arising from a candidate‘s manifesto, rather than the size and number of Ghana-must-go bag should determine the outcome of an election.

Also as part of the process of intensifying campaign for the April polls, President Jonathan has launched a new website to reach out to the vast majority of ordinary Nigerians.

The Director, Media and Publicity, Mr. Goodluck/Sambo 2011, Mr. Abba Dabo, said in an electronic mail on Sunday that the new website designed with updated technology was meant to increase participation of the ordinary in the politics of their country.

Dabo said that the updated website, goodluck.org.ng, offered Nigerians the opportunity to sign up and be a part of the process of building a strong unified Nigeria.wp_posts