Abstract
Persuasion, the strategic use of language, symbols and arguments to influence opinions, attitudes, and behaviours, can undermine democratic values when deployed manipulatively. This study examines the persuasive strategies and underlying ideologies in President Tinubu’s national broadcast of August 4, 2024, delivered in response to the #EndBadGovernanceinNigeria protests. Using Connor and Lauer’s (1985) model of persuasive appeals – rational, credibility and affective and van Dijk’s (1998) socio-cognitive
approach to critical discourse analysis, the study analyses how rhetorical devices function in constructing political discourse. The findings reveal that the speech employs a broad range of strategies, including emotional appeals, credibility-based references and logic-driven arguments. These are underpinned by ideologies such as pacifism, collectivism, Welfarism, anti-ethnicism and progressivism. The study contributes to understanding how language mediates political authority and public perception.