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Abstract
ABSTRACT Contributing to the extant literature on media political discourse, this article examines Nigerians’ use of language in framing and stereotyping two frontline presidential candidates, Muhammadu Buhari and Atiku Abubakar, in the 2019 general election. Data were purposively sampled from Nairaland and classified into twelve comment types according to their thematic frames. Following a descriptive analysis, and using van Dijk’s socio-cognitive model of critical discourse studies and Entman’s framing theory, we find that Nairaland netizens’ language practices demonstrate dichotomous framing and stereotyping of a negative “them” and positive “us” through the deployment of multiple discursive strategies: name-calling/abusive labelling, metaphorisation of political actors and pronominal selection. These strategies signify divergent political perceptions about the two candidates and their supporters. We conclude that Nairaland is a sociocultural site that enables Nigerian youth to express their political thoughts in terms of their preferred presidential candidates and political parties.
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