Electorate Exposure, Perception, and Attitudinal Response to 'No Sell Your Vote' Media Campaigns During the 2023 Presidential Election in South-South, Nigeria

Background: Vote buying has increasingly undermined Nigeria’s democratic process, eroding electoral integrity and reducing citizens’ ability to freely choose their leaders. In the 2023 Presidential Election, this menace was particularly evident in South-South Nigeria, where economic vulnerabilities and political ‘clientlism’ made electorates susceptible to inducements. In response, the ‘No Sell Your Vote’ media campaign was launched to discourage vote trading and promote civic responsibility. Objective: This study investigated the influence of the No Sell Your Vote media campaign on the electorate in South-South Nigeria during the 2023 Presidential Election. Method: Anchored on the Social Judgment Theory, the study employed a survey research design using a structured questionnaire titled Electorate Perception of Media Campaigns Against Vote Buying Questionnaire (EMPVACQ). The target population comprised 8,738,170 registered voters across Edo, Delta, and Rivers States. Using Taro Yamane’s formula, a sample size of 400 was proportionally drawn through multi-stage sampling. Out of 400 questionnaires administered, 295 were duly completed and analysed. Instrument validity was confirmed by experts, and reliability testing produced a Cronbach’s Alpha of 0.81. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and the Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient at a 0.05 significance level. Result: Findings revealed mixed exposure levels, with billboards, radio, and television emerging as the most effective media channels. While some respondents reported engaging in civic actions and adopting positive attitudes towards rejecting vote buying, a significant portion either rejected the campaign’s message or remained indifferent. Conclusion: The study concluded that although the campaign moderately influenced the electorate, its impact was limited by uneven reach and resistance from individuals with entrenched political and economic beliefs. Unique Contribution: This study contributes to electoral communication literature by empirically demonstrating how pre-existing voter attitudes mediate the acceptance of anti-vote buying messages, providing evidence-based insights into the intersection of political communication and behavioural change. Key Recommendation: The study recommends deeper media penetration into rural communities, use of indigenous languages, and sustained civic education campaigns to bridge the gap between exposure and attitude change, thereby fostering a more participatory and corruption-resistant electorate.