A Discourse Analysis of the Campaign Speeches of Selected 2023 Nigerian Presidential Candidates

Abstract

This study is a discourse analysis of campaign speeches of three selected presidential candidates in 2023 election in Nigeria. The study anchored is on Fairclough’s (1992) three dimensional models of linguistic communications, Van Dijk’s (1998) ideological model and Chilton’s (2004) representational model. The data from this study were speeches of the three selected major candidates purposively obtained online, downloaded and transcribed for the purpose of this study. The three selected presidential candidates were Ahmed Bola Tinubu of All Progressives Congress (APC), Atiku Abubakar of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and Peter Obi of Labour Party (LP). The data obtained were analyzed through Construction and ideological interest. The findings revealed that from their campaign speeches, the candidates used different rhetorical devices known as inter-textuality, to persuade and appeal to the audience on national issues. The study concluded that, campaign speeches by politicians are ideologically motivated and often invested with the tendencies to convince, persuade, dominate and control the minds of the electorate.