General
Election 2019: Chain Reactions Begins Political Campaign Management Services
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
One of Nigeria’s leading Public Relations and Integrated Communications Consulting firms, Chain Reactions Nigeria, the Nigerian affiliate to Edelman which is the largest Public Relations firm in the world, has unveiled its bespoke public affairs and political campaign management services for governments, political parties, aspirants and candidates aimed at preparing them to structure their political campaigns better with better professional support in the run up to the next 2019 general elections in Nigeria.
A statement issued at the weekend in Lagos and signed by the firm’s Managing Director and Chief Strategist, Mr Israel Jaiye Opayemi, disclosed that incumbent political office holders and their challengers can take advantage of different plans in the firm’s public affairs and political campaign management service bouquets to run better and well-structured campaigns to win in this election cycle.
Explaining the various services governments and politicians should take advantage of, Mr Opayemi said, “We have a Campaign Play Book for governments and candidates seeking re-elections.
“The package is themed, ‘How to Win Re-Election Campaigns.’ We have a Play Book for challenger aspirants and candidates in a package named, ‘How to Defeat an Incumbent.’ They are like two sides of the same coin we have learnt to toss up in favour of different clients who approach us for our services.
“They are part of the professional services we run by the highest professional and ethical standards with clear rules of engagement spelt out. For example, we cannot provide these services to both an incumbent and his or her challenger no matter the fees.”
According to Mr Opayemi, other services in the rich bouquets of the firm’s political campaign management services include a Campaign Strategy Starter Pack, Unpacking the Opposition and Opposition Research Guide, Understanding Polling, Developing Thematic Campaign, Developing a Message Deck, Vote Mapping and Targeting, Media Training for Candidates and Campaign Managers, Debate Simulation and Elocution Training for Candidates and Running Mates, Social Media Management and Online Reputation Management in the age of fake news.
He further listed Issues and Crisis Management, Technology for Vote Protection and Anti-Rigging, Operations Manual for a Campaign and Elections Situation Room, Planning Guide for Election Day Logistics, Framing Effective Campaign Structure, Creative Design and Production Services, Campaign Events Management and Roadshows, Media Strategy and Planning Services as well as Creative News Room Services for political parties, aspirants and candidates amongst others.
Mr Opayemi further assured that apart from interested governments, political parties, aspirants and candidates benefiting from best in class professional campaign management services from Chain Reactions will also be working with a number of local research firms and their international counterpart with presence in Nigeria to help political players who sign on to its services to access professional polling services.
He explained that this is one of the areas where some political parties and candidates with financial war chest fail woefully in political contests in our climes.
“Political gladiators need to understand the power of research and polling. You cannot sit in the comfort of your campaign offices and hotels and frame your campaign theme and message.
“They must be derived from research. You need to feel the pulse of the electorate. This was our game changer in the last governorship elections in Ekiti State and we can repeat that feat for any aspirant or candidate who approaches us,” Mr Opayemi said.
He urged political parties, aspirants and candidates preparing to participate in the 2019 elections to take advantage of working with professionals who specialize in services of this nature saying, “the insights we will be sharing are products of the collective experience our Public Affairs Practice Heads have pulled together from 26 years of active involvement in planning and managing political campaigns across five elections cycles from 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015 aside from off cycle elections such as such as the Ekiti State Governorship elections of 2014 and 2018 where our services were utilized. Nothing beats experience.”
On the overall benefits of political gladiators working with professionals who help to frame their campaigns, Mr Opayemi said Nigeria will be better for it as the electorate will be empowered to take informed decision at the polls.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
President Bola Tinubu on Saturday confirmed the killing of a senior ISIS leader, Mr Abu-Bilal Al-Manuki, in an overnight operation carried out by the United States and Nigeria.
President Donald Trump had earlier announced the elimination of the notorious terrorist via a post on his Truth Social.
Later, in a statement today, Mr Tinubu praised the action, describing it as “a significant example of effective collaboration in the fight against terrorism.”
“Our determined Nigerian Armed Forces, working closely with the Armed Forces of the United States, conducted a daring joint operation that dealt a heavy blow to the ranks of the Islamic State,” he said in the statement.
According to him, early assessments confirm the elimination of the wanted IS senior leader, Abu-Bilal Al-Manuki, also known as Abu-Mainok, along with several of his lieutenants, during a strike on his compound in the Lake Chad Basin.
He commended the partnership between Nigeria and America in waging war against terrorists, thanking his US counterpart “for his leadership and unwavering support in this effort.”
“I commend the personnel involved on both sides for their professionalism and courage, and I look forward to more decisive strikes against all terrorist enclaves across the nation,” the Nigerian leader added.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigeria is set to strengthen its defence architecture by deploying artificial intelligence-powered surveillance systems and advanced anti-drone technology as part of efforts to modernise the country’s military capabilities, according to the Minister of Defence, Mr Christopher Musa.
He disclosed this during a high-level visit to Monaco, where he led a Nigerian delegation to conclude discussions on the multi-domain Hybrid Intelligence Shield (HIS) project.
According to Mr Musa, the initiative is designed to enhance border security, protect urban centres and improve the country’s response to emerging security threats.
The project is expected to introduce AI-driven surveillance systems capable of identifying threats rapidly through smart algorithms, while anti-drone technology will be deployed to intercept and neutralise unmanned aerial threats.
The government also plans to establish national and regional command-and-control centres to improve real-time coordination and response to security incidents across the country.
Mr Musa said the initiative would place strong emphasis on technology transfer and local capacity development through the establishment of a military Centre of Excellence in Nigeria.
He added that the federal government would leverage partnerships with international firms, including Marss UK Ltd, while simultaneously building indigenous capabilities to address insurgency, illegal mining, piracy and other security threats.
Nigeria has continued to battle multiple security challenges in recent years, including insurgency in the North-East, banditry and kidnappings in the North-West, farmer-herder clashes in the North-Central region, crude oil theft in the Niger Delta and piracy in the Gulf of Guinea.
Nigeria is stepping up its defence as the border region of Nigeria, Benin and Niger on the southern edge of the Sahel region is becoming a new stronghold for jihadists, as militants turn forests and pastoral networks in West Africa into bases for recruitment and international attacks.
Attacks in Nigeria have also risen, with data from the website of the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED), a conflict-monitoring group, affirming that the number of suicide bombings in Nigeria by March already matched the annual average over the past six years.
The Nigerian military has also been dealt a blow to its military bases and senior figures targeted. In April, Brigadier-General Oseni Omoh Braimah was killed when Islamist fighters attacked a base in Borno State.
To also meet the defence goal, Nigeria is stepping up efforts to build domestic arms-manufacturing capacity.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigeria and Morocco are set to sign a major intergovernmental agreement later this year to push forward the long-delayed Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline project, a multi-billion-dollar energy corridor expected to reshape gas trade across West Africa and Europe.
The agreement, expected to be signed in the fourth quarter of 2026 by President Bola Tinubu and King Mohammed VI of Morocco, follows the completion of preliminary technical studies for the ambitious project, according to officials from both countries.
The pipeline, also known as the African Atlantic Gas Pipeline, is projected to stretch about 6,900 kilometres along offshore and onshore routes across West Africa, making it one of the largest gas infrastructure projects on the continent.
With an estimated cost of $25 billion, the pipeline is designed to transport up to 30 billion cubic metres of gas annually once completed.
Discussions on the project gained fresh momentum during a telephone conversation between Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, and her Moroccan counterpart, Mr Nasser Bourita.
The project would not only strengthen energy cooperation between the two countries but also improve regional economic integration and expand Africa’s access to European energy markets.
According to Morocco’s hydrocarbons and mining agency, ONHYM, part of the gas supply will support Morocco’s domestic energy demand, while large export volumes will be directed to Europe.
The project, first proposed about a decade ago, is seen as a strategic alternative gas supply route amid rising global energy security concerns and Europe’s search for more diversified energy sources.
Beyond the pipeline, Nigeria and Morocco are also exploring broader economic partnerships, particularly in fertiliser production and distribution to support food security across Africa.
Both countries also agreed on the need to revive the Nigeria-Morocco Business Council to strengthen trade and investment relations under the African Continental Free Trade Area framework.
Analysts noted that the project could significantly boost gas monetisation opportunities for Nigeria, expand regional infrastructure development, and deepen economic ties between West African nations and Europe if successfully executed.
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