The Media and the Shaping of Political Narratives: A Study of the 2015 Presidential Elections in Nigeria.

Ekweremadu, Lavender Odinaka (2019) The Media and the Shaping of Political Narratives: A Study of the 2015 Presidential Elections in Nigeria. Masters thesis, Griffith College.

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Abstract

In any society, the role of the media is huge and cannot be denied. The media has been a strong platform for promoting and protecting human rights, as well as keeping people updated on events and activities in society. In the annals of Nigeria's history, the role of the media is noteworthy. During the periods of military rule, the media was like a leviathan against dictatorship despite the attacks on journalists and media houses. Notably, the media played a major role during the June 12 annulment saga as well as during the inglorious brutal dictatorship of the late General Sani Abacha. After the military left the political scene, giving room for democratic rule on May 29, 1999, Nigerians have maintained high hopes for a democratic society. Post-1999, Nigeria has experienced several general elections (in 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015 and 2019), occurring every four years. The role of the media has become so huge that the integrity of the Nigeria’s electoral system is critically scrutinized and ascertained in the media. This study examines the media coverage, by three newspapers (Punch, The Nation and Premium Times), of Goodluck Jonathan, incumbent President of Nigeria during the 2015 presidential campaigns, and his major contender, Muhammadu Buhari, to determine how news is constructed as well as discuss framing patterns in these reports. The study demonstrates that the tone and content used to report issues about an election can promote political disengagements and media cynicism. It also reveals that the media coverage of the 2015 Nigerian presidential election was overtly negative and conflict driven. The media focused predominantly on incapability and provided a pessimistic or negative view of political actors.

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