A MULTIMODAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS OF SEMIOTIC RESOURCES AND POLITICAL IDEOLOGIES IN THE 2023 APC PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY CAMPAIGN POSTERS

Abstract

This paper examines semiotic resources and political ideologies in the 2023 APC presidential primary campaign posters through a multimodal discourse analysis. The paper investigates how verbal and visual semiotic resources; including colour, typography, imagery, layout, and slogans interact to construct political meanings, project candidate identities, and persuade voters. The paper adopts Multimodal Discourse Analysis (MDA) as its theoretical framework. A qualitative content analysis was conducted on 4 purposively sampled APC presidential primary election campaign posters circulated across online platforms. The findings reveal that the posters strategically deploy national colours (green, white, red) to evoke patriotism and unity, while slogans such as “Renewed Hope” function as emotional and aspirational appeals. Visual hierarchies position the presidential candidate as the decisive leader, with complementary imagery of the running mate reinforcing unity. Contrasting designs, ranging from minimalist, technocratic aesthetics to vibrant grassroots rally posters demonstrate how multimodal choices are tailored to different audiences and political contexts. The study concludes that APC presidential primary campaign posters operate not merely as promotional tools but as ideological constructs that embed socio-political realities, negotiate ethnic and religious diversity, and respond to public desires for economic renewal and competent governance.