SOCIAL MEDIA AND PUBLIC OPINION ON 2023 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION OF SELECTED UNIVERSITY STUDENTS.

The growing influence of social media redefined political communication in Nigeria during the 2023 presidential election. The 2023 elections have attracted research interests from political science, linguistics and communication, opening up vistas for further research. This study investigates the extent to which social media has shaped public opinion among selected university students during the election, with a view to exploring its mobilising potential and the challenges posed to democratic discourse. Mixed-method was adopted, combining survey and focus group discussions. Data were 392 students from the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State, who were administered structured questionnaires and distributed into focus groups responsively. Agenda-Setting Theory by Maxwell Mccombs and Donald Shaw and Uses and Gratifications Theory by Elihu Katz, Jay Blumler And Micheal Gurevitch served as the framework, providing the conceptual lens for understanding media influence and audience agency. Data were subjected to qualitative analysis. which provided the conceptual lens for understanding media influence and audience agency. Social media significantly shaped political perceptions. Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram serving as major sources of election-related information. There was widespread exposure to misinformation, which distorted perceptions of candidates and policies. Political campaigns on social media enhanced emotional connection to candidates but also contributed to echo chambers. While social media is a powerful tool for political engagement, its unregulated nature poses risks to informed decision-making in elections. There is need to improve digital literacy initiatives and introduce stricter regulation of political content and ethical use of social media by political actors to strengthen Nigeria’s democratic process.