Assessment of social media and political participation in the 2023 gubernatorial campaign in Taraba State

Abstract

The heated argument and divisions on religious and ethnic lines during the 2023 gubernatorial campaign on social media in Taraba State, gave rise to this study. The study assessed social media and political participation inthe 2023 gubernatorial campaigns in Taraba State. The research was guided by Uses and Gratification Theory. This theory emphasises on the reason(s) people have for engaging one medium over another as well as the gratifications they aim to derive. The research employed descriptive survey which used questionnaire as instrument for data collection. Three hundred social media users in Taraba Statewere sampled. Wellstructured questionnaire was issued of which 251 were returned and validated. Data were analyze using frequencies and tables. The study found out that Social Media was used during the 2023 gubernatorial campaigns in Taraba State to a very large extend. Two hundred and seven respondents out of the 271 with 76% made the affirmation. It was also revealed that Social Media enhanced political participation in the 2023 Gubernatorial Campaigns Taraba State, attracting voters to a candidate of their choice and the major challenge(s) was hate speech on opposition candidate(s). The study recommended that Taraba State politicians should use social media for campaign in honest way as users keep increasing, Taraba electorate should not depend on social media propaganda by politicians, rather they try find out about those politicians policies and competency; and government and social media app developers should jail perpetrators of hate speeches on social media.