Deploying discourse as a two-pronged instrument: A critical analysis of John Mahama's (alternative) political rhetoric on COVID-19

Arguing that the COVID-19 related texts produced by political leaders in opposition represent an important site for the manifestation of alternative political rhetoric, this paper examines John Mahama’s discourse on COVID-19 in Ghana in his capacity as the presidential candidate and leader of Ghana’s largest opposition party. The study analyzes how Mahama’s discourse realizes a two-fold purpose of sculpting an identity of a people leader in touch with the needs of Ghanaians and mounting pressure on the government in order to obtain the masses’ support for his party. This deployment of his discourse as a two-pronged instrument is realized by three main strategies: (1) empathizing with the people of Ghana and boosting their morale; (2) criticizing the government’s actions, policies and response to COVID-19; and (3) offering (alternative) solutions and making recommendations to the government. These mechanisms are legitimized by various lexico-syntactic and semantic-pragmatic devices such as lexicalization, exemplification, positive self-presentation, negative other-presentation, and topoi. Together, they enable Mahama to transform his communicative events on a health crisis into a campaign tool to convey his party’s message to the people of Ghana, especially with regard to their health policy.