Nigerians raise concern over inciteful campaign slogans ahead 2027

…As politicians seem desperate to win at all cost

Many Nigerians seem to be apprehensive over the likelihood of violence in the 2027 general election. The growing concerns stemmed from the inciteful campaign slogans being dished out by some politicians and their supporters.

Politics across Nigeria is a complex and competitive game of who wins what or not. It is winner takes all.

Political campaigns are essential for politicians and parties to gain popularity, win voters’ empathy or sympathy, earn votes, and win elections.

Therefore, political parties and politicians in particular invest heavily in personal branding as one of the most common campaign strategies in wooing the electorate.

However, many of the personal branding or slogans designed to woo voters often come with subtle political communications that tend to promote division among voters.

The primary purpose of personal branding and slogans is to create a positive image of oneself in the minds of voters, but Nigerian politicians and framers of their political communication messages have embedded narratives that pitch voters against one another.

For instance, in 2023, President Bola Tinubu’s campaign slogan was ‘Emilokan’ literally saying it’s my turn. Just like that, we have also seen similar campaign slogans that tend to widen the current rift within the polity.

At the moment, there is a subtle campaign slogan spreading across Lagos that tends to segment voters along ethnic, religious and sectoral divides.

Campaign slogans like ‘Datiemo’ (Know Your Own) and others like it are seen by many analysts as a subtle way of telling the electorate far ahead of the votes, where to cast their votes and a possible pattern of voting in 2027.

These types of communication appear to be taking the campaign slogan to a level which some perceive as divisive or could incite the public. On the back of this was utterances credited to ‘The City Boys Movement’ and that of the ruling party that appear not to be helping already tensed political atmosphere.

Political communications

A Strong, compelling political messaging is believed to be critical to any successful political campaign.

In Nigeria, election candidates often focus on issues such as economic development, job creation, and improving access to basic services such as healthcare, education and road infrastructure.

However, creating a compelling message can be challenging in a society where voters think first about their next meal rather than the impact of their voting pattern.

Hence, politicians hire creative and strategic communication experts to help design and craft personalised messaging that connects with voters in unique ways.

While this could involve using humour, telling personal stories, or using local cultural references, many have decided to punch below the belt by infusing divisive messages into their campaign strategy.

For example, in the 2023 presidential election, P-Square sang in support of Peter Obi, the Labour Party presidential candidate. Similarly, other musicians and artists were also part of the ‘Obidient Movement’ that went viral, helping to mobilise young voters in support of Peter Obi in the 2023 presidential election.

“Sloganeering is part of the dynamics of political campaigns. It helps to galvanise support by selling specific messages about candidates or their philosophy,” said Solomon Oyeleye, senior lecturer, Department of Mass Communication, Caleb University, Lagos.

He added that it is a critical communication tool for marketing ideologies and identities. However, he noted that it may be abused when it panders towards negative group identifications, particularly in environments where the level of political literacy is low, and herd instinct is the order.

“Already we know that messages from political influencers are polarising Nigerian society, and as we move closer to the elections, when we are going to see an increase in sloganeering, it is apt for leaders to be watchful of what they coin as their slogans,” Oyeleye said.

Chukwudinma Okoji, a communication expert based in Ilorin, Kwara State, said that slogans are naturally designed to simplify political messages and mobilise supporters.

According to him, the danger arises when they become tools for provocation, subtle hostility, or political intimidation.

“Slogans such as ‘Datiemo,’ ‘Omo wani,’ and similar expressions reveal how political communication is increasingly becoming emotional, symbolic, and identity-driven rather than issue-based,” Okoji said.

Okoji added that in a deeply diverse society like Nigeria, emotionally charged slogans can easily deepen existing ethnic, regional, and ideological divisions by creating an unhealthy ‘us versus them’ political atmosphere.

“Rather than encourage democratic dialogue, such rhetoric may push citizens toward polarisation and intolerance,” he said.

The communication expert also disclosed that slogans like ‘datiemo’ also demonstrate the growing influence of digital media culture on Nigerian politics.

“Platforms such as Facebook, X, and WhatsApp have transformed political slogans into viral tools capable of spreading rapidly across social networks within minutes.

“The implication is that slogans no longer remain ordinary campaign expressions; they become hashtags, memes, chants, and emotional triggers capable of shaping public perception and behaviour,” Okoji said.

It is believed that when political language becomes excessively provocative, it can encourage online toxicity, misinformation, cyberbullying, and even translate into offline aggression among supporters, which tends to contribute to the growing voter apathy witnessed during successive election cycles across Nigeria.

In this sense, communication itself becomes not just a channel of politics but a powerful instrument that can either stabilise or destabilise democratic culture.

“Concerning the 2027 election, there is a strong need for more responsible and issue-oriented political communication in Nigeria,” Okoji said.

He added that political actors, media professionals, and citizens must recognise that democracy thrives better on constructive engagement than on inflammatory rhetoric.

Hence, he advocated that campaigns should focus more on governance issues and national development rather than emotionally manipulative slogans designed mainly to provoke reactions.

“The language used during election matters greatly because political communication does not only influence votes; it also shapes social relationships, public attitudes, and the future stability of the nation,” Okoji said.

Political narratives

Across Nigeria, political campaign slogans have become louder and more frequent as elections approach. However, public trust in what they promise is wearing thin in each election cycle.

“Many voters now see slogans as marketing lines crafted to win attention rather than statements of intent backed by policy and track records,” said Dayo Kayode, convener & national chairman, The Unifiers Movement.

According to him, the disconnect grows when the issues raised on billboards and in rallies rarely match the day-to-day realities people face.

Thus, the gaps fuel a growing scepticism about whether campaigns are genuinely about the public good or about securing power for its own sake.

“The concern is less about slogans themselves and more about their use as substitutes for substance,” Kayode said, adding that when messaging is designed to appeal to emotions, ethnicity and or short-term patronage, it can obscure the lack of clear plans for governance.

According to him, voters are beginning to seek answers about the purpose of political slogans in relation to their lived experiences.

He posited that distinction matters because it determines whether elections serve as a mechanism for accountability or simply a cycle of elite renewal.

“A slogan without a plan is just noise that fades after the ballot is counted. And as a common sentiment among voters goes, we don’t need new words, we need the old promises kept,” Kayode said.

Without credible linkage between slogans, policies and delivery, the public space becomes saturated with noise and cynicism.

However, rebuilding trust will require candidates to ground their messaging in verifiable commitments and for citizens to demand that alignment.

“Slogans are advertising gimmicks and sentimental expressions of ideas. They are the desire of those who concoct them,” Babatunde Olanrewaju, a member of Lagos ADC.

According to him, campaign slogans don’t necessarily transform into results. “We, in ADC, have a friendly handshake across Nigeria. A means of brotherhood amongst Nigerians.

“We are not personal but collective. It is not anybody’s turn, but our turn. Nigeria’s turn,” Olanrewaju said.

Ethnic and religious appeals

Ethnic and religious appeals are common narratives in Nigerian election circles as politicians and political parties try to gain the support of religious institutions for political gain.

Because of the need to win votes across multiple channels and territories, politicians often appeal to voters based on their ethnicity or religion.

Ahead of the 2023 presidential election, a certain phone call and narrative went viral across social media with Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, in a phone call with a celebrated religious leader in the country.

This type of strategy is often used by politicians who are running for local positions, as ethnicity and religion tend to play a more significant role in local politics.