Evolving Political Culture in West Africa: A Critical Discourse Analysis of the Presidential Elections in Nigeria, Liberia and Ghana

Résumé

This study examines the electoral gains achieved in West Africa by focusing on the presidential elections in Nigeria (2015), Liberia (2023), and Ghana (2024), respectively. Generally, elections in developing democracies are viewed as a ‘war’ with an ideological posturing of ‘win’ or ‘mar’ the process. However, the 2015, 2023, and 2024 presidential elections held in the three West African countries represent a paradigm shift from the usual rancorous aftermath of elections to a more peaceful atmosphere. The losers in these elections, who were sitting presidents in the three countries in focus, not only accepted their defeats but also congratulated their opponents—a feat that had never been achieved on the entire African continent. Data for the analysis were elicited from online reactions to the declaration of the elections in focus. For a more precise understanding, the data from the Nigerian elections are labelled as NGR, while those from Liberia are labelled as LBR, and the Ghana elections data are labelled as GHA, as captured in the analysis. The analysis reveals cases of political reawakening, consciousness, and maturity in a hitherto politically tense continent that is just emerging from ethnic and militia wars, military regimes, and truncated democratic experiences. This study aims to expand the literature on political maturity, which can help deliver political dividends rather than backbiting, warfare, disintegration, and acrimony.

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