ABSTRACT
This research looked at the social media and voting pattern of
youth in 2015 presidential election in FCT, Abuja. The study was anchored on Technological Determinism Theory by Marshall Mcluhan (1962). The theory stated that media technology shapes how we as
individuals in a society think, feel, act, and how society are operates as we
move from one technological age to another (Tribal- Literate- Print-
Electronic-Internet). Social media as an emerging tools for political
mobilization, organisation, education and political interaction was used to the fullest
for the first time in Nigeria politics. The
research used quantitative method (survey) coupled with 100 copies of questionniares as a data collection instrument in
eliciting data from the respondents that were selected using multi-stage
sampling to draw respondents from Gwagwalada
Area Council. The data collected were analysed using Descriptive Statistics
(frequency and percentage method). Findings show that (81.1%) have access to social media platforms with Facebook, Twitter and Youtube topped the list of social media visited regularly. Also, voting choice of electorates during 2015 presidential election was influenced by the social
media partially and lots of
respondents were busy using
social media for one
activities or the other ranging from getting exposed to political campaign, reading and commenting on political
matters etc and it is very obvious
that the future of social media for electioneering is bright if the challenges sported such as poor
internet access, source credibility, low level of the literates, poverty, abuse
of social media among others could be corrected. It is therefore, recommended
that political office holders, those who loss and political parties should keep maintaining their online
fans, followers and keep relating with them, seek their opinions on matters,
know how they are feeling etc. Don’t wait until another election.
