Social Media and the Voting Behaviour of Electorates in the 2023 Nigeria Presidential Election: A Study of Etsako West Local Government Area

Abstract

The impact of social media on the present society is numerous. These impacts are evident in all areas of human endeavor, from religious to socio-economic and political amongst others. The past elections in Nigeria from the year 1999, 2007 and 2015 respectively had experienced little influence of social media but there was major shift with the 2023 presidential election. This study evaluated the impacts of social media on the voting behaviour of electorates in the 2023 Presidential Election in Etsako West Local Government Area. The study employed the technological determinism theory. Qualitative and quantitative approach were employed in this study. Taro Yamani formular was used to select a sample size for the study. The study found that social media influenced the voting behaviour of electorate in the 2023 Presidential Election in Etsako West L.G.A.  and impacted the outcome of the 2023 Presidential Election in Etsako West L.G.A. The study recommended that; election-related campaigns on social media should be continuous and free from vices, government organizations should exploit social media, community voting should be replaced by individual voting and the electorate should understand that their choice of candidate will have a continual impact on their lives.