The Limited Power of Social Media in Nigeria Politics

Social media has rapidly grown in importance

 as a forum for political drive; media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook and YouTube have provided new ways to inspire citizen engagement in political life, where elections and electoral campaigns have a central role. Personal communication via social media has brought politicians and parties closer to their potential voters. It allows politicians to communicate faster and reach citizens in a more targeted manner and vice versa, without the intermediate role of mass media.

As the presence of social media is spreading and media use patterns are changing, it has to be noted that social media does not guarantee votes at the poll. The recent Presidential and governorship elections have proved this beyond an iota of doubt. For instance in June 21, 2014 Governor Kayode Fayemi who was perceived by many to be head and shoulder above Ayodele Fayose lost woefully in the governorship election in Ekiti state simply because he failed to communicate with the people in a language they understand better. Fayemi used all the available media tools at his disposal to connect with the people from radio to television, print media, twitter and Facebook. Fayemi was campaigning through all these media means telling people not to vote for fayose, his campaign team were busy drumming support for him on Facebook and twitter, talking about his achievement in office, why he was a better candidate and how he has been able to stabilize Ekiti state. Fayemi messages on the social media do not reach those who hold the key to the success of the election, those farmers in the villages and other remote areas of Ekiti where larger number of them has no access to facebook or twitter.

While fayemi was busy using the social media as his campaign tool, Fayose was on the road doing more of visiting voters in the villages, sharing their food, dancing with them and then give them gifts – “stomach infrastructure”. It is true that messages posted to personal networks are multiplied when shared and allow new audiences to be reached faster. It is also true that it provides peoples opinion on issues but it is more effective in western world than developing country like Nigeria where most people does not have free Wi-Fi connection, some pay thousands of naira for their data plan while some older generation who are in their mid 50’s and early 60’s does not even have a smart phone either because they cannot afford it or because they lack the technical know-how.

I thought what happened in Ekiti state in 2014 governorship election would serve as a great lesson for other politicians who are strategizing and contesting for political offices in 2015 but the other was the day. While some contestants relied heavily on the social media e.g. President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, his opponent was busy talking to people from one state to another – meetings those that matters because Buhari simply realised that social media ko lo le se (meaning – it’s not social media that would do it) but politician personal touch with the people, candidate attitude, character and sound manifesto from the party. Before GEJ could realise what is happening CHANGE has take his course.

Olabode a Project Analyst writes from Canada.