| Abstract: |
The study analysed coalition communication in the presidential campaign
speeches during Nigeria's 2023 General Elections, using content analysis as
its primary method. The study employed trends in political realignment,
assess the prevalence of coalition-related themes, and evaluated how
coalition communication was leveraged to build political legitimacy and
electoral appeal. A sample of forty (40) campaign speeches purposefully
selected from the presidential candidates of the All Progressives Congress
(APC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party (LP), and New
Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) delivered between September 2022 and
February 2023. Data collection used a structured content analysis coding
sheet, and the analysis involved frequencies, percentages, and thematic
exploration. The findings indicated that themes of national unity, inclusive
governance, political alliances, and national development were prevalent
across the speeches. Key communication strategies included emotional
appeals, inclusive language, logical reasoning, and credibility appeals, while
significant patterns of political realignment were reflected in elite
negotiations, political defections, and cross-party cooperation. The study
concludes that coalition communication played a pivotal role in the 2023
presidential campaigns, acting as a strategic tool for establishing legitimacy,
expanding electoral support, and conveying political alliances. The results
backed up the ideas behind Spectrum Coalition Model and Framing Theory,
showing that campaign speeches played crucial role in building coalitions
and effectively communicating political messages. The study suggests that
we should focus more on issue-based coalition communication, promote
responsible political discussions, and encourage more empirical research into coalition communication within African democracies.
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