Atiku’s New Campaign Rhetoric: The Power of Strategic Communication in Politics, By Sunny Ibeh Jnr

Former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, is currently striking from the flank prolifically, and masterfully, so, thereby creating a pandemonium in the camp of the incumbent administration. As I write, everyone in the ruling party is deeply perturbed. Waziri Adamawa is striking from unfamiliar angles, as it stands. His shots lately have been both accurate and strategic. They clearly meet the needs of the moment! Quite glaringly, this is strategic communication at work by Waziri and his men. Simply put, a designed message directed at a targeted audience. To be precise, “Strategic communication” is a purpose-driven messaging or engagement designed to influence understanding, perception, behaviour, or action to achieve some defined objectives.

Atiku’s statement on fuel subsidy restoration is a political campaign masterstroke; a game changer that is working perfectly in his favour. It has completely transmuted the 2027 presidential campaign dynamics. For the first time since 2022, the APC and footsoldiers of President Bola Tinubu have completely forgotten that a Peter Obi exists as an opposition political playmaker. This comes on the heels of the gigantic defence workload Atiku’s recent campaign rhetoric have reposed on them.

His subsequent remark on reopening up of the Nigerian borders, along Niger Republic, Chad, Benin Republic and a deluge of other borders, within the country’s geographical confinement, is equally strategic and timely. The former Vice President, boisterously noted in a recent BBC interview that the President was sick and that he was healthy and as well has the wherewithal to deliver in his promises if elected. He asserted courageously, arguing that President Bola Tinubu was already 90 years-old, and that he had documents to prove this claim in the court of law. The ADC presidential candidate further assured that he was more experienced, competent and patriotic.

These statements are changing the narratives, dynamics and nuances as far as the 2027 presidential campaign is concerned. To understand the spiking effects of Atiku’s statements, President Tinubu himself had to respond to them, aside from the collage of responses men in the President’s media and communication team had dished out.

As a media and communications tactician; a perspicacious one at that, I can say without mincing words that Atiku’s new communication messaging is spot-on, and hyper-effective. Atiku understands that Nigerians are currently suffering from economic hardship, which was apparently caused, to a large extent, by the removal of fuel subsidy by the Tinubu administration.

Understandably so, every economic hardship problem Nigerians are currently facing, is directly or indirectly, tied to the removal of the fuel subsidy. The alarming high cost of living affecting transportation, food, rent, and the cost of providing services, just to mention but a few. For struggling Nigerians, there is no better meaning of good governance than solving these problems.They do not understand micro- and macroeconomic arguments, figures on paper, IMF admonitions and predictions, or figures from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

The fact that inflation has reduced from 23% to 15.43% as at July 2026, makes little or no sense to them when there is no corresponding positive effect on their lives, especially when it comes to reducing hardship in the country. As myopic as their assessment may sound, it is still valid. There is no vacuity in it. Truthfully, struggling Nigerians cannot be bamboozled with grammar and statistics on paper. Whether Atiku would make good on these promises if he eventually wins, or not, whether he would renege on them or not, is entirely a different topic altogether. It is far from the essence of this article.

A 2025 World Bank report placed Nigeria’s poverty rate at 63%, with Northern Nigeria having far more poor people than the South. I mean people who are poor and eligible to vote. Which other language will these people understand if not statements that directly point to the issues they feel are responsible for their suffering?

As I write, the Presidency is seriously rattled by Atiku’s new strategic campaign moves regarding the restoration of the fuel subsidy and even the reopening of the borders. In reality, the presidency squirms and scampers in defence of its policy in this regard.While there seems to be a paucity of ideas from the government to delodge the rhetorical missiles from Atiku Abubakar.

The former Vice president is, at the moment, the most performing attacking striker of the opposition; more like the Erling Haaland of the opposition with some disturbing shots and headers from right, left and centre. While he attacks, the Presidency defends. It has been a tedious job so far for the media guys in the Presidency on this note.

Atiku is using the ‘advocacy approach’ of strategic communication. This approach is deployed to garner public support and sway behaviour in support of a specific cause. So far, it is working well for him. His message comes as a collocation of related problems in governance that seamlessly resonates with poor Nigerians especially those in Northern Nigeria who as at 2023 accounted for 53.7% of Nigeria’s registered voters in the final voter register.

Realistically, there is already a seismic shift ahead of next year’s presidential election principally caused by Atiku’s new strategic campaign rhetoric. Howbeit, as the political climate quivers and echoes with crepitating uncertainties, we will be on standby, watching, sharing and expounding our thoughts as spectators of truth and players in the media and communication industry. I am Sunny Ibeh Jnr. I write with conviction and truth, wielding a pen mightier than the sword.

Sunny Ibeh Jnr is a Media and

Communication Executive; Public Affairs Analyst. He writes from Abuja, Nigeria.