An Appraisal of President Muhammadu Buhari’s Strategic Silence on Selected National Issues and Its Implication on His Government’s Image

Andrew Asan Ate (Associate Professor/ Head, Department of Mass Communication, Edo State University, Uzairue)
Obinna Johnkennedy Chukwu (Department of Mass Communication, Edo State University, Uzairue, Edo State)
Jamila Abubakar Dauda (Department of Mass Communication, Edo State University, Uzairue, Edo State)

Randwick International of Social Science Journal
Vol. 2 No. 3 (2021): RISS Journal, July

This study examines the strategic silence under President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration in Nigeria. Anchored on Shannon and Weaver mathematical model of communication and spiral of silence theory, the study beams a searchlight on instances of President Buhari’s strategic silence, public perception of Buhari’s silence on sensitive national issues; and the implications of his silence on his administration’s image. The study which adopted qualitative research approach recommends that President Muhammadu Buhari should personally cultivate the culture of addressing Nigerians on sensitive national issues to give the people a sense of belonging and trust and that the president should change the negative perception of his administration by reducing the rate at which he depends on media team and spokespersons to communicate to the people on virtually everything.