Assessment Of Social Media Influence On The Voting Pattern Of Electorates In Nsukka Urban In The 2023 General Elections

Abstract

The use of social media to gain support of the electorates at the time of campaign has advanced to a level where mobilization, massages and organization can easily be taken to those interested.  The adoption of social media in this digital generation have paved way in presenting of information, opportunities to readers, and has helped in developing of different strategies. This have helped the electorates to decide on the voting patterns as they choose their preferred candidates no matter his or her political party which is based on their choice for the way that they will be governed by using some form of national policies and ideologies. The aim of this study was to determine the level of social media influence on the voting pattern of electorates in Nsukka urban in the 2023 general elections.Descriptive survey research design was used by the researcher for this study. The study was based on 86 populations in Nsukka urban, in Enugu state that was used as the sample size. Purposive sampling method was applied for this study. The major instrument used for the collection of data from the populace was a structured questionnaire while descriptive statistics was used in the analysis of the data.The results showed that contributors among the populace reported that social media influence has significant effect on the voting pattern of the electorates. Social media usage accessed in the political campaign by political parties in Nsukka urban fascinated the knowledge of the electorates and as well articulated with the electorates to show that it is the only means to change the political discourse. The most preferred social media platform used was the WhatsApp. The study concludes that Social media generally influenced the voting pattern of electorates in Nsukka urban in the 2023 general election.This study provided data that could be used in designing policies and programs for the assessment of social media influence on the voting pattern of electorates in Nsukka urban in the 2023 general election. The best social media platform to be used and can influence the voting pattern of the electorates in Nsukka urban in the general elections is the WhatsApp.