Influence Of Social Networking Sites On Democracy In Nigeria

Project and Seminar Material for Mass Communication

Abstract

Social media have been viewed variously as developmental to democratic deepening on one hand and as instrumental to grooming anarchy on the other hand. In other words, there have been a sustained debates among shades of opinion on the actual role social networking sites play in democratic sustainability the world over. This study focused on the influence of social networking sites on democracy in Nigeria. The study is was specifically focused on determining the role of the social media in upholding democracy in Nigeria and to know the effect of social media criticisms of the government and the ruling political party on democratic governance in Nigeria. The study was guided by the agenda-setting theory. The study adopted the survey research design and randomly enrolled participants in the study. A total of 225 responses were validated from the enrolled participants where all respondent are undergraduates of University of Abuja. The study found that youths also regard social networking sites as a credible medium for political discourses and majority also testified to the social networking sites as making them become more politically active. This does not come as a surprise if one considers how often and how much time youths spend on social networking sites daily.

Table of Content

Title Page
Certification
Dedication
Acknowledgement
Table of Content
List of Tables
Abstract

Chapter One:

Introduction

1.1 Background of the Study
1.2 Statement of the Problem
1.3 Objective of the Study
1.4 Research Questions
1.5 Research Hypothesis
1.6 Significance of the Study
1.7 Scope of the Study
1.8 Limitation of the Study
1.9 Definition of Terms
1.10 Organisations of the Study

Chapter Two:

Review of Literature

2.1 Conceptual Framework
2.2 Theoretical Framework
2.3 Empirical Review

Chapter Three:

Research Methodology

3.1 Research Design
3.2 Population of the Study
3.3 Sample Size Determination
3.4 Sample Size Selection Technique and Procedure
3.5 Research Instrument and Administration
3.6 Method of Data Collection
3.7 Method of Data Analysis
3.8 Validity of the Study
3.9 Reliability of the Study
3.10 Ethical Consideration

Chapter Four:

Data Presentation and Analysis

4.1 Data Presentation
4.2 Analysis of Data
4.3 Answering Research Questions
4.4 Test of Hypotheses

Chapter Five:

Summary, Conclusion and Recommendation

5.1 Summary
5.2 Conclusion
5.3 Recommendation
References
APPENDIX
QUESTIONNAIRE

Chapter One

Introduction

1.1 Background to the Study

In recent years of democratic processes, the rapid proliferation of social networking sites platforms has revolutionized the way people engage with information, communicate, and express their opinions. This transformation has extended to the political landscape, where social networking sites platforms have emerged as powerful tools for political communication, engagement, and mobilization. The intersection of social networking sites and politics has redefined the way political campaigns are conducted, voter preferences are shaped, and ultimately, how citizens exercise their electoral rights. In an era where social networking sites platforms are used to spread political information to help voters’ decision-making process, the political parties have to enlarge their electoral strategy to these platforms. This decision came to gain new voters by persuading online information seekers with their ideologies and not lose potential voters with the fake news overload that appears during an electoral period.

Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, has a complex political history characterized by democratic transitions, military rule, and socioeconomic challenges. The 2023 presidential elections marked another significant milestone in the country’s democratic trajectory, as citizens exercised their constitutional rights to elect leaders who will shape the nation’s future. In recent years, the influence of social networking sites on political processes has become increasingly significant, with the potential to shape voters’ choices and impact election outcomes. The 2023 presidential elections in Nigeria was a crucial juncture in the nation’s political landscape, and understanding the role of social networking sites in shaping voters’ choices is of paramount importance. This paper is an investigation of the influence posed by social networking sites engagement on voters’ choices during the presidential elections in Edo State. Despite the recognition of social networking sites’s potential to shape political opinions and electoral outcomes, the mechanisms through which this influence occurs and its implications for the democratic process remain insufficiently understood.

The role of social networking sites platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and WhatsApp, has grown exponentially in political discourse. These platforms have emerged as powerful tools for political communication, enabling candidates and parties to reach a wide audience instantly. However, the impact of social networking sites on voters’ decision-making processes remains relatively unexplored, particularly within the context of states such as Edo. While social networking sites offers numerous benefits, it also introduces challenges and potential negative consequences. The spread of misinformation, echo chambers, and online manipulation are concerns that need to be addressed. Additionally, the digital divide in Nigeria could mean that certain segments of the population might be excluded from this digital discourse, potentially skewing election results. Elections Mangers and Experts decried the wrong application of messages in social networking sites platforms among users before, during and after 2023 presidential election in Nigeria. Studies like Ibrahim (2023); Aragba-Akpore (2023); Salako (2023) reported how Nigeria’s 2023 presidential elections campaign turned the use of social networking sites in dissemination of political information into dangerous weapons; many feared that the outcome of the elections could make or mar Nigeria’s growing democracy. The leading political parties and their supporters took advantage of the social networking sites to not only sensitize the populace on their manifestos but also turn 2023 elections into bizarre of inflammatory speeches complemented with propaganda capable of disrupting the electoral processes and Nigeria’s nascent democracy.

It is widely held notion that social networking sites have the possibility of being misused greatly during election because the crowd-source technique used by many social networking sites practitioners are from local communities who are sometimes with partisan interests and biases. Similarly, the platforms are often used to give false information, abuse, and incite violence, thus, social networking sites advantage in promotion of democracy and electoral harmony became more of a contentious discourse.

The goal of this study is to determine the influence of social networking sites on democracy in Nigeria. The research looks at whether social networking sites may actually be used as an instrument of social control, much like traditional mass media.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

The majority of democratic countries in the world, including Nigeria, have adopted social networking sites as a specialised platform for contemporary human communication. One of the most popular methods of communication between politicians and the electorate is social networking sites use, which is heavily and strategically utilised by politicians all over the world to achieve their specific objectives in terms of projecting favourable images, winning elections, and maintaining relationships with their constituents. social networking sites has been helpful in facilitating information flow between political candidates and the electorate. It informs voters and influences their political preferences, attitudes, beliefs, and conduct towards certain political candidates (Victor, Ikechukwu, Gerald & Chinedum, 2017).

In Nigeria, however, the daily use of social networking sites by politicians and the way that user-citizens engage with political social network sites and pages have gotten less attention. Political gladiators of all stripes, ideologies, intents, and goals use the media in the belief that political communication through them might exert pressure or have an influence on people’s perceptions and behaviours. In essence, politicians expect the communication relationship to be positive and beneficial to them. The historical and cultural hegemony of print and electronic media, as well as the imagined hypodermic needle effect of mass media messaging, are analogous to this view of social networking sites’s impact. Profit-driven mentality of competition for political space has given rise to both ethical and unethical political communication using all available platforms of interpersonal and mass communication in light of the perceived impact of the media, whether from the perspective of “maximalists” or “minimalists” (Victor et al., 2017).

The administration, and particularly the presidential contenders, have used social networking sites in addition to traditional media to mobilise young people for the 2019 general elections. This research will look at how social networking sites is used as a real mobilisation tool during general election campaigns. The study will also look at how young people voted in the recent presidential election and how they used social networking sites.

Despite the aforementioned, the goal of this study is to examine how well social networking sites is used as a political platform in Nigeria and how its growing advantages can be used to empower voters to exercise their political sovereignty by transparently electing and removing representatives and governments in a democratic manner without undue interference or obstruction (Chinedu- Okeke et al., 2016).

In order to determine if social networking sites is genuinely impact in creating a favourable image of political candidates, this study attempts to examine the influence of social networking sites as a tool used to persuade youths to vote.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

The broad objectives of this study is to examine the influence of social networking sites on democracy in Nigeria, Specifically, the study aims;

To find out the role of the social networking sites in upholding democracy in Nigeria.
To know the effect of social networking sites criticisms of the government and the ruling political party on democratic governance in Nigeria.

1.4 Research Questions

What role has social networking sites played in upholding democracy in Nigeria?
Does the social networking sites criticism of the government and the ruling political party have any effect on democratic governance in Nigeria?

1.5 Research Hypothesis

Ho: There is no relationship between social networking sites and democracy in Nigeria
Hi: There is a relationship between social networking sites and democracy in Nigeria

1.6 Significance of the Study

First off, the importance of this study will be shown by the gap it closes through the resolution of its research questions. Second, the study will be extremely helpful to politicians, political parties, media consultants, election judges, and government at all levels because it will enable them to understand the advantages and effectiveness of using social networking sites tools and the best ways to use them to project their clients’ images and raise public awareness of the candidates.

The results of this study will help Nigeria’s democracy grow steadily over time. It is crucial to do research and studies on the political and social behaviour of young people since they are the future and engine of any nation (Adedeji, 2015).

Finally, because it will add to the body of knowledge already available on the usefulness of social networking sites in politics and also broaden the present extensive knowledge in it, this study will be extremely helpful to academic scholars and other knowledge seekers.

1.7 Scope of the Study

This study aims to examine the influence of social networking sites on democracy in Nigeria; it evaluate the influence of the use of social media as a political/mobilization tool on the voting behaviour of Nigerian youths. Only undergraduate students of the University of Abuja from the ages of 15 years through 29 shall be polled. This study will examine the participatory democracy of the aforementioned youths for the 2023 general elections only.

1.8 Limitation of the Study

The researcher encountered problems during the course of carrying out this research; such problems were as a result of selected respondents who refused to accept and participate and also encountered difficulty in acquiring relevant materials and items. The attitude of selected subjects to fill the questionnaire to time so as not to delay the result of the research also posed a problem. However, the researcher appealed to the participants through persuasive means.

1.9 Operational Definition of Terms

1. Social Media:

Social media is the term often used to refer to new forms of media that involve interactive participation (Manning, 2014). They are internet-mediated technologies that allow people to connect with each other virtually. This study focuses on WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram due to their high-level of popularity among University of Abuja students.

2. Political Participation:

Political participation has been defined as “those activities by private citizens that are more or less directly aimed at influencing the selection of governmental personnel and/or the actions they take” (Enkman and Amna, 2012). This study looks at the level of political participation among University of Abuja students.

3. Undergraduates of the University of Abuja:

These are undergraduates of the University of Abuja studying in various departments in the fifteen faculties in the institution.

4. Youths:

According to the Third National Youth Policy Document of Nigeria (2019), youth refers to any Nigerian between the ages of 15 and 29.

1.10 Organizations of the study

The chapter one consist of the introductory part of the study which includes the study background, the statement of the research problem, the study objective and scope of the study.

The second chapter is a critical review of other literatures relevant to the study and its objectives including the theoretical framework for the study. While the third chapter is methods of data collection, sampling and data analysis used in conducting the study. The fourth chapter centres around the research findings including an analysis of how it relates to previous findings. The fifth chapter consists of the summary of findings, conclusion and recommendations base on the study objectives.

Chapter Five

Summary, Conclusions and Recommendations

5.1 Introduction

The chapter consists of summary of the study, conclusions, and recommendations. Based on the data collected, analyzed and discussed, this chapter focuses on the summary of findings, conclusion and recommendations from the study.

5.2 Summary

The study was undertaken to examine the influence of social networking sites on democracy in nigeria. The objectives of the study were to determine the influence of social networking sites on democracy in Nigeria, with undergraduates of the University of Abuja as case study; finding out the role of the social networking sites in upholding democracy in Nigeria and To know the effect of social networking sites criticisms of the government and the ruling political party on democratic governance in Nigeria..

The study was guided by the agenda-setting theory. The research methodology adopted is primarily the survey method with questionnaires as the data collection instrument. Using the Krejcie and Morgan model for determining sample size, 225 undergraduates of the University of Abuja were drawn as the sample to represent the entire population.

5.3 Conclusion

Findings from the study revealed that social networking sites did have a positive influence on youths participation in the political and electoral process, especially the 2023 Nigeria presidential election. social networking sites influenced youths’ choice of political candidate and party but, quite amazingly, did not actually guarantee that youths voted for any political candidate just because he or she has a social networking sites account. Youths also regard social networking sites as a credible medium for political discourses and majority also testified to the social networking sites has making them become more politically active. This does not come as a surprise if one considers how often and how much time youths spend on social networking sites daily. The findings of the study are summarized below:

University of Abuja undergraduates, and by extension, Nigerian youths are very active on social networking sites platforms which they use for many hours every day and WhatsApp is the social networking sites platform mostly used by Nigerian youths.
Social networking sites had a positive influence on the youth participation in the 2023 electoral process as many youths became aware of political news on social networking sites and also disseminated political news through them.
A political candidate having a social networking sites account did not guarantee that Nigerian youths voted for such candidate during the elections.
Nigerian youths regard social networking sites as a credible medium and believe political news they are exposed to through it.

5.4 Recommendations

The Federal Government of Nigeria should strengthen its efforts in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in every sector of the country. More and more Nigerian youths are gaining access to the internet every day and ensuring the information flow on the internet is uninterrupted is key to the information flow of the country.

The National Information and Technology Development Agency government should monitor what goes onto the social networking sites as many people will believe what they read/see on it and the consequences wrong or misleading information can only better imagined.

Political parties, politicians, governmental agencies and ministries should create a robust and effective social networking sites presence to inform and educate youths, especially on social networking sites platforms which has a high concentration of Nigerian youths who believe political news on social networking sites and regards them as credible. This will help reduce the low turnout of voters on election days and reduce the spread of fake news.

In future elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC), should adopt the electronic voting system in order to allow youths who may not go out to vote physically do so online. 97.4% of respondents in this study claim to have an accessible device with 50.5% spending between 1-6 hours on social networking sites daily while 35.4% spend above six hours daily.