THE IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON VOTING PATTERNS IN THE 2023 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IN NIGERIA: EGOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF EDO STATE IN PERSPECTIVE

ABSTRACT

This research work sought to examine the impact of social media on voting patterns in the 2023 Presidential Election in Nigeria with particular reference to Edo Local Government Area of Edo State. The study made use of questionnaire to obtain data from respondent. Four objectives were raised for the study. The study found that the voting patterns in the 2023 Presidential Electoral was greatly impacted by the social media such as X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook among others. This is a significant effect on voter behaviour in the study area and on the electoral process in Nigeria. It also found that there is a significant effect of online banner advertisement and other forms of advertisement affect voters’ behavior in the study area. The study concluded that social media such as Facebook and X enlighten the Nigeria electorate and mobilizing them in a two-tier mechanism. In the first tier, there is the networking inside the worldwide web and the second-tier is the realization of that network in the real world. Hence, the study concluded that using social networks like Facebook and X have significant influence on the voters’ behaviour in the 2023 General Election in Nigeria and the Presidential Election in particular. The study thus recommended the need for the government to educate the electorate especially the younger electorates to use the social networks for civil life and activities which obliges the tertiary institutions to look into the social participation through social networks.