‘Did Social Media Really Matter?’ Effectiveness of Twitter for Electoral Campaigns and the 2023 General Elections in Nigeria

Abstract

The emergence of social media platforms has played a significant role in political communication throughout election campaigns in Nigeria. Twitter is a social media platform used among the political candidates and parties in Nigeria. Therefore, this paper examined the role of Twitter by different political parties and their supporters during the 2023 Nigerian Presidential Election that shaped the election outcome. The study relies on both primary and secondary sources, including interview journals, books and newspapers, which were meticulously analyzed to gather relevant data for this study. The findings revealed that while Twitter has become an integral part of the campaign process, its influence on the outcome of the 2023 General Election was not solely decisive. Various factors hindered the efficacy of Twitter. These were the absence of a robust party structure, allegations of electoral malpractices, and incumbency’s advantage that contributed to mobilization efforts. These factors collectively undermined the effectiveness of Twitter in shaping the 2023 election results. This study concludes that the impact of Twitter and other social media platforms is contingent upon the adeptness with which political parties engage their followers through these platforms. Equally significant is how voters utilize the information acquired from social media to make informed voting decisions. Political parties must devise comprehensive strategies that harness the potential of social media while addressing the challenges and limitations that may impede their impact.