A PRAGMATIC ANALYSIS OF SPEECH ACTS IN 2023 NIGERIAN PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN SPEECHES OF TINUBU AND OBI

Abstract

This study investigated the speech acts in the 2023 Nigerian presidential campaign speeches of two frontline presidential aspirants: Bola Ahmed Tinubu of All Progressive Congress (APC) and Peter Obi of Labour Party (LP) and how they have used language as a tool in their bid to canvass for support. This study adopted both qualitative and quantitative approaches in order to analyse both underlying themes and narratives constructed in the speech acts as well as determine the frequency of the various speech acts deployed in the campaign speeches. The data for this study were sourced from the recorded videos and documented campaign speeches by TVC, Channels Television and AIT on YouTube. The study adopted the random sampling technique to select four (4) campaign speeches, two by each candidate. The theoretical frameworks adopted for this study are the Speech Acts Theory particularly J. L. Austin (1962) and Searle’s (1969) speech acts taxonomies. Based on the findings of the study, the dominant speech acts deployed in the campaign speeches of Tinubu and Obi are the Commissives with (30.7%) consisting promising, pledging, committing, guaranteeing and assuring. The second dominant acts are the representatives, covering (30%) of the total speech acts, mostly asserting, reporting, informing, revealing, stating, claiming, accusing, blaming, criticising. The rest of the distribution include Expressive (20.7%), including thanking, condoling, blessing, well-wishing and apologising; and Directives (16%) Speech Acts, comprising, directing, pleading, requesting, advising, questioning.  The result indicated that the least employed speech acts are the declaratives, consisting of only (2.5%) of the entire speech acts. The study concludes that political campaign speeches are rich in speech acts, serving as strategic tools for candidates to garner public support, and politicians prioritise two key objectives - communicating their vision and building trust and hope.