Former Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, has said a coordinated media strategy highlighting the achievements of the Muhammadu Buhari administration played a key role in the All Progressives Congress (APC) and President Bola Tinubu’s victory in the 2023 general election.
Mohammed made the claim in his new book, Headlines and Soundbites: Media Moments that Defined an Administration, which chronicles his experiences in government between 2015 and 2023.
According to him, the strategy was developed amid persistent claims by opposition parties that the APC-led administration lacked tangible achievements and did not deserve another term in office.
He described the narrative as a deliberate attempt to discredit the government ahead of the polls, noting that repetition was used to entrench the claims in public discourse. “As the popular aphorism goes, ‘Say it loud, say it often, and it no longer matters if it’s true,’” Mohammed wrote.
In response, he said his ministry adopted a two-pronged approach: systematically showcasing government achievements and countering what he described as misleading opposition narratives.
Mohammed said that on October 18, 2022 — about 130 days to the general election — the ministry launched the President Muhammadu Buhari (PMB) Administration Scorecard Series, covering achievements from 2015 to 2023.
Under the initiative, ministers were required to present evidence-based reports of accomplishments in their sectors, followed by interactive question-and-answer sessions with journalists to allow for scrutiny and clarification.
He added that the presentations were amplified through a multi-platform communication strategy spanning traditional and digital media to reach a broad audience.
The former minister said the effort culminated on February 22, 2023, three days before the presidential election, with the launch of legacy documentation tools, including documentaries, testimonial series, print and electronic compendiums, and an online legacy portal.
Mohammed argued that anchoring the campaign on documented performance shifted the dynamics of the election, compelled opposition parties to respond to verifiable records, and helped the APC reconnect with undecided voters while countering misinformation.
