A SEMANTIC ANALYSIS OF SELECTED PETER OBI’S POLITICAL CAMPAIGN TWEETS AND READERS’ COMMENTS

The purpose of this study was to analyse the semantic characteristics of Peter Obi's political campaign tweets and comments on Twitter. This study is based on the semantic analysis theoretical framework. This study used a mixed method research design, focusing on Peter Obi's political campaign tweets and readers' comments on Twitter. Data collection involves retrieving tweets and extracting comments via Twitter's API or third-party tools. Data analysis includes rule-based methods, machine learning algorithms, or pre-trained models. A purposive random selection technique is adopted due to impracticality and space constraints. The study explores the themes in Peter Obi’s tweets, focusing on political reformation, ethnicity, and youth development. Obi addresses the political consequences of bad governance and emphasises the need for good governance. He uses ethnicity as a metaphor for national rebirth and progress, recognizing Nigeria’s multi-tribal nature. This research reveals key insights into the communication strategies used and the public's response. Through the analysis of language, sentiment, and themes, it becomes evident that Obi's tweets aimed to convey specific policy points while fostering a positive emotional connection with the audience. Reader comments reflect varying degrees of support, skepticism, and engagement with his message. This analysis sheds light on the effectiveness of his online campaign in conveying his political agenda and elicitingpublic reactions. By continually studying and analysing political discourse on social media from a semantic perspective, we can deepen our understanding of the complex interplay between language and persuasion in the realm of politics.