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ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of Twitter messages on the election of Bola Ahmed Tinubu as President of Nigeria in the 2023 presidential elections. The research began with a background discussion on the significant role social media has played in Nigeria’s electoral politics since 2011, and the impact of social media influencers. A review of related literature was conducted to provide context for the study. A survey research design was adopted, with students from Benson Idahosa University constituting the study population. Using a simple random sampling technique, 357 students were selected based on the Krejcie and Morgan (1970) table of sample size determination. A questionnaire structured into two sections was used as the research instrument. Section A collected personal data of the respondents, while Section B elicited responses related to the research questions. Out of the 357 questionnaires distributed, 314 were retrieved and analyzed using the simple percentage method. The analysis revealed that Twitter influencers were unable to significantly promote and structure the electioneering campaign of Bola Ahmed Tinubu during the 2023 presidential election. Additionally, Twitter influencers garnered only a low degree of additional support for Tinubu’s campaign, and Twitter messages did not substantially contribute to Tinubu’s victory in the election. It was recommended that Since Twitter had a limited impact on Tinubu's election victory, future campaigns should invest more in traditional campaign strategies such as door-to-door canvassing, town hall meetings, and community engagement to effectively reach and mobilize voters, and that other social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp be utilized to reach a wider audience and create more engaging, authentic content that resonates with voters.
