The Impact of social media on Elections in Nigeria: An Assessment of 2020 Gubernatorial Election in Edo State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study is premised on the impact cum relevance of social media on elections in Nigeria, with a special focus on the 2020 gubernatorial election in Edo State, Nigeria. The social media has revolutionized the landscape of political interaction globally, and Nigeria being a key player in the scheme of things, has not been immune to this transformative phenomenon. Owing to her large population cum growing digital connectivity, the social media has emerged as a very powerful tool for disseminating information, informing public opinions, as well as mobilizing citizens during electoral processes. We made use of Max Weber (1964) Theory of Social Action. The social action theory is pertinent to this study as it takes into account both external factors (institutional factors) and internal factors (such as age, gender, religion, ethnicity, education, and perception) in explaining the voting behavior of the electorate. We also made use of both the qualitative and quantitative Method in this study. The survey method was used in the presentation and analyzing of the data. From our findings, it is evident that the role of the social media on elections in Nigeria cannot be overemphasized. Also, the usage of the social media varies among age groups. The younger generation engage these tools (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc) more. Submissively, we recommend that the government should improve on the awareness of digitalization, develop different strategies for the various locations, ages, sex, and etcetera.

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