A CRITICAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS OF PRESIDENT MUHAMMADUBUHARI'S 2019 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION POLITICAL ADVERTORIALS IN SELECTED NIGERIAN NEWSPAPERS

Abstract

This study investigates the ideological strategies embedded in political campaign advertorials during Nigeria’s 2019 presidential election, with a particular focus on President Muhammadu Buhari’s campaign. Drawing on Norman Fairclough’s model of Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), the research aims to explore how language is used to project persuasive ideologies and influence public perception. This study was guided by three core objectives: first, to explore the types of ideology present in selected political advertorials; second, to examine the significance of the most frequently occurring ideology within the social context of communication; and third, to assess the impact of this dominant ideology on the electorate. To achieve these aims, twenty advertorials were randomly selected from five national newspapers and analyzed using Fairclough’s three-dimensional CDA framework. The analysis revealed a range of ideological expressions, including nationalism, security-focused narratives, and themes of economic revival. However, the transformational leadership ideology emerged as the most dominant, consistently portraying President Buhari as a reformer and anti-corruption advocate. This ideology resonated strongly with Nigeria’s socio-political climate, reflecting widespread public demand for integrity and change. Its strategic deployment in campaign messaging significantly shaped voter perception, reinforcing Buhari’s credibility and mobilizing electoral support. Based on these findings, the study recommends that political campaigns adopt ethical messaging practices that inform rather than manipulate the electorate. It also advocates for the implementation of media literacy programs to empower citizens to critically evaluate political discourse. Ultimately, the study urges regulatory bodies to enforce balanced and fair representation in political advertising, thereby ensuring that democratic integrity is maintained throughout the electoral process.