ABSTRACT

This study is an analysis of four Nigerian newspaper editorials’ (the Guardian, Vanguard, Independent and Leadership) coverage of the 2015 general elections in Nigeria. Peace and solution journalism perspectives provided the theoretical insights through which the examination is made. This qualitative study, located within an interpretivist tradition, identified 101 election-related editorials for the study. Using a purposive sampling technique, 25 editorials that were illustrative of the three themes: violence-free polls, rational voting, and credible electoral process, which emerged from reading and re-reading of the editorials, were selected for analysis. The research showed that the editorials sought to a. redirect the attention of the electorate caught up in the personalisation of issues by politicians towards key issues affecting the nation, to guide their electoral decisions, b. appeal to political actors to stem the spate of violence in the polity and c. advocate for a credible electoral process to produce leadership that would be truly reflective of the wishes and aspirations of the people. The editorials made moral and ethical appeals urging “supra-national” and patriotic attitudes as well as more detailed process interventions. This study highlights the role of editorials in peacebuilding efforts at such times as elections.

摘要

这项研究是对尼日利亚四家报纸社论的分析（卫报、先锋、独立和领导) 报道 2015 年尼日利亚大选。和平与解决新闻学的观点提供了进行检查的理论见解。这项定性研究属于解释主义传统，为该研究确定了 101 篇与选举相关的社论。使用有目的的抽样技术，选择了 25 篇社论进行分析，这些社论说明了三个主题：无暴力民意调查、理性投票和可信的选举过程，这些社论是在阅读和重读社论后出现的。研究表明，社论寻求 a。将陷入政客个人化问题的选民的注意力转移到影响国家的关键问题上，以指导他们的选举决定，b。呼吁政治行为者制止政体中的暴力事件和 c. 倡导可信的选举进程，以产生真正反映人民愿望和愿望的领导层。社论提出道德和伦理呼吁，敦促“超国家”和爱国态度以及更详细的过程干预。这项研究强调了社论在选举等时期的建设和平努力中的作用。