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2015 Polls - Clinton's Campaign Adviser Addresses Politicians At Aaan Seminar
[July 07, 2014]

2015 Polls - Clinton's Campaign Adviser Addresses Politicians At Aaan Seminar


(AllAfrica Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) A former White House Political Director/Assistant to former President Bill Clinton, now a Senior Campaign Adviser to Senator Hilary Clinton in the run-up to the 2016 U.S. presidential election, Craig Smith, is to deliver a lecture titled "preparing to run" to women political leaders and aspirants this week in Abuja.



The lecture which is part of an international seminar to be hosted by the Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN) on "political advertising, perception building and voter education," on Friday, July 11, 2014, will be chaired by INEC Chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega, as part of the annual general meeting and congress of the professional body.

Speaking on the international seminar and the profile of the speaker, publicity secretary, AAAN/Event Coordinator, Dr. Celey Okogun said it was an honour to have Smith, a man with hands-on experience, speak to Nigerians on electioneering processes from a global best practice perceptive.


According to him, "Mr. Smith was Campaign Adviser for President Bill Clinton in the 1992 election and he won! Again, he was there in the 1996re-election campaign and Clinton won! Mr. Smith is about to do it again for Sen. Hilary Clinton. He sure has stories to tell!" Similarly, speaking on the need to encourage women aspirants, Robina Namusisi, Resident Country Director (Nigeria) for International Republican Institute (IRI) said women who intend to seek elective offices will have a chance to engage Mr. Craig Smith on how to surmount the unwritten limitations placed by the system and still clinch the party's ticket.

Vice President, AAAN and Chairman, AGM Planning Commitee, Kelechi Nwosu said AAAN was elevating the platform of the 2015 election debate to an international level, such that voter education and a knowledge-based election process can enhance voter's confidence and promote informed voting which will ultimately benefit the political parties.

Smith, according to the organisers, has over 25 years of experience developing political strategies at the federal, state and local level in the USA, as well as being an advisory board member ofcapitol management. He is also Vice President of an internationally recognized strategic polling and media relations firm based in Washington, D.C.

Presently, Mr. Smith is Senior Adviser for "I'm Ready for Hilary", a grass-root mobilization support organ for Sen. Hilary Clinton shot at the White House. Smith's service to the Clintons dates back to when Mr. Bill Clinton was Governor of the State of Arkansas and he was Secretary of Appointments to Boards and Commissions in the Governor's Office. During this time, Smith also served as liaison to the Arkansas State Senate, and to various national political organizations, including the Democratic Leadership Council.

Smith has served in a variety of political positions outside the federal government. Most recently, he served as the campaign director and senior advisor for the Lieberman for President Campaign. Additionally, Mr. Smith served as finance director of the Clinton for President Exploratory Committee in 1991, field director of the 1992 Clinton-Gore campaign, political director of the Democratic National Committee in 1993-94 and Political Director of the 1996 Clinton-Gore campaign, campaign manager of Gore 2000 and Vice President of Voter.com.

President of the association, Mrs. BunmiOke who is also an AAAN representative at the National Conference, enthused that some of the most memorable political advertising in Nigeria dating back to the 80's were developed and creatively executed by competent and skilled AAAN professionals. She canvassed the support of INEC and political parties in the use of AAAN registered members only, adding that as new AAAN members are inducted, the list will be update.

During the international seminar, there will be a panel of discussants drawn from government regulators in election and communication as well as bodies involved in electioneering process in Nigeria. They are the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC), the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON), Broadcasting Organization of Nigeria (BON) and Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN), Newspapers Proprietors' Association of Nigeria (NPAN) as well as a representative of civil society groups.

Dettol launches campaign to save 10m kids from Diarrhoea As part of commemorative activities to mark its 50th anniversary in the Nigerian market, Reckitt Benckiser, a leading pharmaceutical company and makers of Dettol, has initiated a mandate to checkmate the destructive impact of child mortality rates in Nigeria caused by diarrhea by collating pledges from its consumers to save 10 million children in Nigeria.

According to the World Health Organisation, diarrhoea is the second leading cause of death in children under five years old globally, and is responsible for the deaths of around 760, 000 children annually During a massive kick-off of the Walkathon held in TeslimBalogun Stadium recently to celebrate the milestone, the Marketing Director, West Africa, Reckitt Benckiser, Mr. OguzhanSilivrili said "While celebrating its 50th anniversary in Nigeria, Dettol, the world's number one antiseptic brand is embarking on a new journey to reach mothers all over Nigeria with the message of "simple health and hygiene practice that can help to save ten million lives'".

Oguzhan added that the new campaign is about empowering and enabling mothers to teach other mothers about the best hygiene practices which will in turn make direct positive impacts on their families and loved ones.

"We intend to take pledge from each mother we contact in the direct contact program to teach 2 other mothers, thus making a chain of empowerment all over Nigeria" he said.

"For the past 50 years Dettol has been at the forefront of educating Nigerians about the health and hygiene benefit via mass consumer education programmes like; New Mum Program where 5 million mums have been reached since 2006 teaching them good hygiene habits for themselves and their new born babies. The Health on Wheels Program through which One hundred and fifty Thousand families have been reached through the Mobile Clinic.

School Hand Hygiene Program, almost a million kids have been reached this year across schools in Nigeria (a total of 3million kids since they started the program in 2010), and the Direct Home Contact Program in through which we have reached a million moms from last year Also speaking at the event, the Director, Chemical Evaluation and Research, NAFDAC, Segiru Momodu, appreciating the corporate social responsibility initiative of Reckitt Benckiser said "we are very happy about the private public partnership effort of the company in Nigeria, it is important for people to learn and imbibe good hygiene habit of hand washing, it is the easiest and the cheapest was to avoid sickness coursing germs.

Momodu further advised Nigerians especially mothers to imbibe the good habit of hand washing, especially with Dettol soap to keep away harmful germs that might pose threat to the health of both mother and child.

The Second National Vice President, Nigerian Medical Association, Dr. Barthy Okorochukwu in his address commended Dettol for being in the fore front of health education in Nigeria for the past 50 years. "the importance of fitness and this Dettol Walkathon cannot be over emphasised, Reckitt Benckiser, through the Dettol brand has once again shown commitment to health of Nigerians by starting a campaign towards reducing infant mortality and also encouraging Nigerians o keep fit and healthy" he said.

Dettol which is endorsed by the Nigerian Medical Association has been available in Nigeria for 50 years and is widely trusted by mothers, children and Nigerian homes as the 'trusted champion of Health and Hygiene'.

Copyright Daily Independent. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com).

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