By
1Hadiza Abdullahi & 2Muhammad Muhammad
Department of English and European
Languages, School of Languages, Kano State College of Education and Preliminary
Studies, Kano.
Corresponding Author’s email and phone No hadiza10@gmail.com /+2348039391881
Abstract
This
paper examines the strategic use of presupposition in Atiku Abubakar's Facebook
campaign discourse during Nigeria’s recent presidential election cycle. As
political communication increasingly moves to digital platforms, linguistic
strategies embedded in short online messages have become vital tools for
persuasion and ideological framing. Drawing on Stalnaker’s (1974) Common Ground
Theory and Yule’s (1996) typology of presupposition triggers, this qualitative
discourse analysis looks at selected Facebook posts with particular focus on
presuppositional meaning. The findings reveal a systematic use of existential,
factive, lexical, structural, and counterfactual presuppositions to frame
economic decline, governance failure, youth marginalisation, and institutional
decay as shared realities, while also presenting the candidate as a viable
solution. Through these presuppositional strategies, political interpretations
are subtly transformed into an assumed consensus. The study contributes to
research on digital political discourse by extending pragmatic analysis of
presupposition to Nigerian social media campaign communication. It further
highlights how presuppositions serve as an ideological and persuasive resource
in online political narratives and underscores the importance of linguistic
studies in fostering critical digital literacy and democratic awareness.
Keywords:
Presupposition,
Digital political discourse, Atiku Abubakar, Nigerian presidential election
2023, Pragmatics
1. Introduction
Digital technologies have deeply influenced the
development of political communication in the twenty-first century. Social
media platforms have changed how political actors interact with citizens, how
narratives are created, and how ideological views are spread. In Nigeria,
Facebook has become a key site of political engagement, functioning as a
virtual campaign ground where candidates present policies, respond to
criticism, and rally supporters. Unlike traditional political speeches, which
are often lengthy and formally arranged, Facebook posts are generally brief,
visually supported, and carefully designed to attract immediate attention. In
this compressed communication environment, implicit meaning becomes especially
important.
Presupposition, as a pragmatic phenomenon, offers an
effective way to embed assumptions within concise political messages. Instead
of explicitly stating a claim, a politician may presuppose that claim as
background information. This approach is persuasive because audiences are
typically more attentive to newly presented information than to background
assumptions. As a result, presupposition enables political actors to influence
the interpretative framework through which their messages are understood.
The growing utilisation of social
media in political campaigns has revolutionised political communication in
Nigeria, especially on Facebook, where candidates engage directly with voters.
However, while many studies have examined political discourse in speeches and
traditional media, limited attention has been given to the pragmatic strategies used in social media
campaign messages. One such strategy is presupposition, which allows politicians to present assumptions as
shared knowledge, thereby influencing audience interpretation without explicit
argument. Despite its importance, the role of presupposition in Nigerian
political Facebook discourse, especially during the 2023 presidential election, remains underexplored. Therefore, this
study investigates how presupposition is used in Atiku Abubakar’s Facebook campaign posts to construct political
meanings and persuasive narratives.
Nigerian political communication has
been transformed by the increasing use of social media in campaigns,
particularly on Facebook, where candidates interact directly with voters. The
pragmatic tactics employed in social media campaign messaging, however, have
received less attention than the political language in speeches and traditional
media, which have been the subject of numerous studies. Presupposition is one
such tactic that enables politicians to portray presumptions as common
knowledge, thus influencing audience interpretation without making a clear
case. Despite its significance, little is known about the role of presumption
in Nigerian political Facebook conversations, particularly during the 2023
presidential election. In order to create political meanings and compelling
narratives, this study examines the use of presumption in Atiku Abubakar's
Facebook campaign posts.
2. Literature Review
Presupposition originates in both philosophy of
language and pragmatics. Stalnaker (1974) describes presupposition as
information that participants in a conversation are assumed to recognise
mutually. This shared set of assumptions forms what he calls the “common
ground.” Communication flows smoothly when interlocutors accept these
assumptions without dispute. However, in political discourse, the idea of
common ground is often deliberately constructed. Political actors try to
influence what is regarded as shared knowledge by integrating ideological
assumptions into their utterances.
Yule (1996) offers a practical taxonomy of
presupposition triggers that remains influential in pragmatic analysis.
Existential presuppositions stem from possessive constructions and definite
noun phrases, implying the existence of specific entities or states. Factive
presuppositions are prompted by verbs such as “know,” “realise,” “regret,” and
“be aware,” which presuppose the truth of the embedded clause. Lexical
presuppositions are linked to words like “again,” “continue,” and “stop,” which
suggest prior actions or ongoing states. Structural presuppositions are
associated with particular syntactic constructions, especially wh-questions.
Counterfactual presuppositions are created by conditional statements that
assume the falsity of the antecedent.
In political discourse, presupposition operates
ideologically by presenting specific interpretations of reality as natural and
unquestioned. Fairclough (2014) argues that political language often masks
ideological content as common sense. Presupposition aids this process by
embedding evaluative assumptions within background information. Because
presupposed content is not highlighted as a claim, it is less likely to be
critically examined.
In digital contexts, the persuasive power of
presupposition is heightened. Facebook posts tend to be brief, direct, and
emotionally engaging. Their conciseness encourages the compression of meaning,
making implicit assumptions particularly useful. Readers scrolling through
content may not pause to question backgrounded assumptions, thereby enhancing
the effectiveness of presuppositional framing.
Research on presupposition emphasises its importance in
embedding implicit meanings within discourse. Anderson Polyzou (2015) describes
presuppositions as background assumptions that influence the interpretation of
messages. In political language, presupposition is frequently used to establish
legitimacy and sway public opinion. For instance, M. A. Okugbe and P. O.
Attashie (2025) analyse how presupposition and politeness strategies in Bola
Ahmed Tinubu's Democracy Day speech reinforce authority and unity. Likewise, A.
M. R. Al-Shaibawi (2026) discusses how presuppositions shape ideological views
in Donald Trump's UN speech. Media discourse research also highlights how
presupposition triggers are common in online editorials and social media posts
(Cagayan et al., 2026; Saragi et al., 2025). From an argumentation perspective,
Fabrizio Macagno (2024) suggests that presuppositions can be manipulative if
they introduce unchecked assumptions. Overall, these findings underscore the
significant role of presupposition in political, media, and legal discourses.
3. Methodology
This study employs a qualitative discourse-analytic
approach. Data were collected from publicly available posts on Atiku Abubakar’s
verified Facebook page during the presidential campaign period in 2023. The
selection process focused on posts addressing national issues, including the
economy, governance, youth empowerment, education, and security. Posts were
purposively sampled to include clear examples of presupposition triggers. The
analysis proceeded in three stages. First, presupposition triggers were
identified using Yule’s classification. Second, the implicit assumptions
embedded within each post were explicitly articulated. Third, the ideological
and persuasive functions of these presuppositions were interpreted within the
broader political context.
4. Analysis of Presupposition Extracts
Extract 1
Post:
“We must rebuild Nigeria’s broken economy.”
Trigger: Definite noun phrase – Nigeria’s broken
economy
Type: Existential presupposition
Presupposition: Nigeria has an economy; the economy is broken.
Analysis: The adjective “broken” is embedded within a
possessive structure, presenting economic failure as a fact. The post does not
argue that the economy is broken; it assumes it. This framing shifts focus
toward rebuilding rather than debating the condition.
Extract 2
Post:
“Nigerians deserve the leadership they have long been denied.”
Trigger: Definite clause—the leadership they have
long been denied
Type: Existential presupposition
Presupposition: Nigerians have been denied good leadership.
Analysis: The phrase constructs leadership deprivation as a historical
reality. The presupposition normalises dissatisfaction without directly
accusing specific actors.
Extract 3
Post:
“I am aware that families are struggling to survive.”
Trigger: Factive verb – aware
Type: Factive presupposition
Presupposition: Families are struggling to survive.
Analysis: The factive verb presents hardship as an unquestionable
truth. The candidate aligns himself empathetically with citizens.
Extract 4
Post:
“We cannot continue to ignore the suffering of our youth.”
Trigger: Lexical item – continue
Type: Lexical presupposition
Presupposition: The suffering of youth has been ignored.
Analysis: The word “continue” embeds criticism within a
forward-looking appeal.
Extract 5
Post:
“If we had invested in education earlier, our graduates would not be
unemployed.”
Trigger: Conditional clause
Type: Counterfactual presupposition
Presupposition: Investment did not occur; graduates are
unemployed.
Analysis: This structure implies past governmental failure
without direct accusation.
Extract 6
Post:
“Why has insecurity persisted for so many years?”
Trigger: Wh-question
Type: Structural presupposition
Presupposition: Insecurity has persisted for many years.
Analysis: The interrogative format embeds evaluation as
assumed truth.
Extract 7
Post:
“Nigeria’s neglected infrastructure must receive urgent attention.”
Trigger: Definite noun phrase + adjective
Type: Existential presupposition
Presupposition: Infrastructure exists; it has been neglected.
Analysis: Neglect is treated as fact rather than allegation.
Extract 8
Post:
“I regret that corruption still affects our institutions.”
Trigger: Factive verb – regret
Type: Factive presupposition
Presupposition: Corruption affects institutions.
Analysis: The word “still” reinforces the continuity of
corruption.
Extract 9
Post:
“We must stop the decline in our educational system.”
Trigger: Lexical item – stop
Type: Lexical presupposition
Presupposition: There is an ongoing decline.
Analysis: Decline is backgrounded as shared knowledge.
Extract 10
Post:
“Our farmers deserve better than the hardship they currently endure.”
Trigger: Definite clause
Type: Existential presupposition
Presupposition: Farmers endure hardship.
Analysis: Hardship becomes a normalised reality.
Extract 11
Post:
“It is unfortunate that small businesses are collapsing.”
Trigger: Factive construction—it is unfortunate that
Type: Factive presupposition
Presupposition: Small businesses are collapsing.
Analysis: Economic downturn is treated as an undisputed fact.
Extract 12
Post:
“Nigeria cannot afford another four years of stagnation.”
Trigger: Lexical item – another
Type: Lexical presupposition
Presupposition: There have already been years of stagnation.
Analysis: Suggests prolonged underperformance.
Extract 13
Post:
“Why are our hospitals still underfunded?”
Trigger: Wh-question + still
Type: Structural + lexical presupposition
Presupposition: Hospitals are underfunded and have been for
some time.
Analysis: Combines structural and temporal presupposition.
Extract 14
Post:
“We must restore the trust that has been broken.”
Trigger: Definite clause
Type: Existential presupposition
Presupposition: Trust was broken.
Analysis: Political mistrust is treated as established.
Extract 15
Post:
“I know Nigerians are ready for change.”
Trigger: Factive verb – know
Type: Factive presupposition
Presupposition: Nigerians are ready for change.
Analysis: Constructs popular support as fact.
Extract 16
Post:
“Our economy continues to suffer from poor policies.”
Trigger: continues
Type: Lexical presupposition
Presupposition: The economy has been suffering.
Analysis: Implies sustained policy failure.
Extract 17
Post:
“If previous administrations had acted decisively, we would not be here.”
Trigger: Counterfactual conditional
Type: Counterfactual presupposition
Presupposition: Decisive action did not occur; the current
situation is negative.
Analysis: Indirect attribution of blame.
Extract 18
Post:
“Nigerians deserve the security they have been promised.”
Trigger: Definite clause
Type: Existential presupposition
Presupposition: Security was promised but not delivered.
Analysis: Embeds accusation within expectation.
Extract 19
Post:
“I am proud that young Nigerians are speaking up.”
Trigger: Factive verb – proud
Type: Factive presupposition
Presupposition: Young Nigerians are speaking up.
Analysis: Positions the candidate alongside youth activism.
Extract 20
Post:
“We must rebuild the confidence investors have lost.”
Trigger: Definite clause
Type: Existential presupposition
Presupposition: Investors have lost confidence.
Analysis: Assumes economic credibility crisis.
Extract 21
Post:
“Why has poverty remained widespread?”
Trigger: Wh-question
Type: Structural presupposition
Presupposition: Poverty is widespread and has remained so.
Analysis: Implies failure of governance continuity.
Extract 22
Post:
“Our nation deserves the progress it once enjoyed.”
Trigger: Lexical item – once
Type: Lexical presupposition
Presupposition: The nation previously enjoyed progress.
Analysis: Nostalgic framing.
Extract 23
Post:
“I acknowledge that inflation is hurting ordinary Nigerians.”
Trigger: Factive verb – acknowledge
Type: Factive presupposition
Presupposition: Inflation is hurting Nigerians.
Analysis: Economic distress becomes a shared truth.
Extract 24
Post:
“We cannot allow corruption to continue unchecked.”
Trigger: continue
Type: Lexical presupposition
Presupposition: Corruption is currently unchecked.
Analysis: Embeds institutional failure.
Extract 25
Post:
“If we had managed our resources wisely, development would not be lagging.”
Trigger: Counterfactual conditional
Type: Counterfactual presupposition
Presupposition: Resources were not managed wisely; development
is lagging.
Analysis: Implies mismanagement without naming actors.
When considered collectively, the 25 extracts form a
coherent ideological narrative. First, Nigeria is portrayed as facing economic
decline, infrastructural neglect, insecurity, unemployment, inflation, and
institutional decay. Second, these conditions are taken as given; they are
assumed as shared realities. Third, the candidate presents himself as the agent
of restoration.
Presupposition, therefore, shapes the boundaries of
political interpretation. By embedding crisis as common ground, the discourse
frames electoral change as a logical necessity. The persuasive power lies not
in explicit accusation but in the subtle normalisation of dissatisfaction.
5. Findings
The findings highlight the significance of pragmatic
competence in the digital era. Presupposition analysis shows how political
actors influence interpretation through implicit meaning. For students of
English and linguistics, such analysis illustrates the real-world importance of
pragmatic theory.
In a democratic society, questioning underlying
assumptions improves media literacy and civic responsibility. English studies,
therefore, contribute not only to academic scholarship but also to democratic
empowerment.
6 . Conclusion
The study demonstrates that
presupposition is systematically employed in Atiku Abubakar’s Facebook campaign
discourse as a persuasive technique. Various types of
presuppositions—existential, factive, lexical, structural, and
counterfactual—are utilised to frame economic decline, governance issues, and
social challenges as shared realities, while positioning the candidate as the
solution. The research deepens understanding by extending studies on
presupposition in digital political communication, providing insights into
Nigerian social media campaign strategies, and illustrating how presupposition
functions as an ideological tool in shaping online political narratives. It
also emphasises the significance of pragmatic analysis in fostering critical
digital literacy within democratic societies.
References
Ajenifari, J. T., Omotunde, S. A., & Oboko, U. (2025). A pragma-linguistic
interpretation of legal communication: A
study of Sections 133 and 134 of the Nigerian Constitution and
political discourse. International Journal of Language & Law (JLL),
14(F7–F23).
Al-Shaibawi, A. M. R. (2026). A
pragma-semiotic analysis of Donald Trump’s 2025 UN speech:
Presupposition and ideological framing. Wasit Journal
for Human Sciences.
Cagayan, M. B. L., Amparo, E.,
& Dumalo, K. (2026). Presupposition triggers in online editorial
discourse. American Journal of Education and
Technology, 5(1), 1–9.
Chilton, P. (2017). Language,
space, and mind: The conceptual geometry of linguistic meaning.
Cambridge University Press.
Fairclough, N. (2014). Language
and power (3rd ed.). Routledge.
KhosraviNik, M. (2017). Social media critical discourse studies. Critical
Discourse Studies, 14(5), 582–
596.
Lavadia, M. B. L., Amparo, E.,
& Dumalo, K. (2026). Presupposition triggers in online editorial
discourse. American Journal of Education and
Technology, 5(1).
Levinson, S. C. (1983). Pragmatics. Cambridge University Press.
Macagno, F. (2024). Presuppositional fallacies. Argumentation, 38,
109–140.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10503-023-09625-6
Odebunmi, A. (2019). Pragmatics of
political discourse in Nigeria. Journal of African Media Studies,
11(2), 145–162.
Ogunlana, O., & Oamen, F.
(2025). Power dynamics in Nigeria’s political rhetoric: A critical analysis
of presidential election campaign discourse. Journal of the
Linguistic Association of Nigeria, 28(1), 133–151.
Okugbe, M. A., & Attashie, P.
O. (2025). The role of language in political discourse: Presupposition
and politeness in President Bola Tinubu’s 2025 Democracy Day speech. IGIRIGI:
A Multi-Disciplinary Journal of African Studies, 5(3).
Polyzou, A. (2015). Presupposition
in discourse. Critical Discourse Studies, 12(2), 123–138. Saragi, C. N., Simarmata, R. O., &
Purba, A. J. (2025). The analysis of presupposition in “CNN”
Twitter social media: A pragmatics approach. Jurnal
Suluh Pendidikan, 13(2).
Stalnaker, R. (1974). Pragmatic
presuppositions. In M. Munitz & P. Unger (Eds.), Semantics and
philosophy (pp. 197–213). New York University
Press.
Taiwo, R. (2020). Political
discourse and ideology in Nigerian media texts. Discourse & Society, 31(3),
312–330.
Yule, G. (1996). Pragmatics. Oxford University Press.
This article is published in ALQALAM: A Journal of Language and Literary Studies, FUGUS, Volume 1, Issue 2 - June 2026
0 Comments