INFLUENCE OF SOCIAL MEDIA POLITICAL CAMPAIGN ON ONLINE POLITICAL PARTICIPATION OF UNDERGRADUATES IN KWARA STATE
Abstract
This study investigated the influence of social media political campaigns on the online political participation of undergraduate students in Kwara State, Nigeria, addressing the problem of limited empirical evidence on the effectiveness of such campaigns in shaping political engagement among youth. Anchored on Agenda Melding Theory, which explains how individuals blend media and personal agendas, and Public Sphere Theory, which emphasizes social media’s role in fostering public discourse, the study aimed to identify the types and frequency of exposure to social media political campaigns, assess their impact on online participation, and explore mediating factors. The study adopted survey method design was employed, utilizing convenience sampling to select 368 respondents from the University of Ilorin, Kwara State University, and Federal Polytechnic, Offa, based on their accessibility and willingness to participate, ensuring meaningful responses. Findings revealed that undergraduates are frequently exposed to diverse campaign formats, notably memes and issue-based campaigns primarily via WhatsApp and Instagram, with exposure peaking during election periods. Social media campaigns significantly drive online participation, particularly through liking and sharing content, with issue relevance, source credibility, and misinformation concerns acting as key mediators. Hypothesis testing confirmed a strong positive relationship (r = 0.62, p < 0.001) between exposure and participation. The study concluded that social media political campaigns are effective in mobilising online engagement among undergraduates, though participation levels vary due to trust and misinformation issues. The study recommended that include designing campaigns that address relevant youth concerns, ensuring source credibility, and implementing fact-checking to counter misinformation, thereby enhancing political engagement. Political stakeholders should leverage platforms like WhatsApp for targeted outreach and foster safe online spaces to encourage active participation, strengthening democratic involvement among young voters in Kwara State.
Keywords: Social media, Political campaign, online political participation, Undergraduates.
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