Social Media and Political Participation in Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District, Nigeria

This study investigated the extent to which social media platforms Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok influence political participation in Akwa Ibom North-East (Uyo) Senatorial District, Nigeria. The study was guided by the Uses and Gratification Theory, Reinforcement Theory, and Social Learning Theory, which provided a theoretical foundation for understanding how social media engagement shapes political behavior. An Ex-post Facto Research Design was adopted, utilizing both questionnaires and Key Informant Interviews (KII) as data collection instruments. A total of 550 respondents (268 males and 282 females), all aged 18 years and above, were randomly selected to represent eligible adult voters within the senatorial district. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Pearson Product Moment Correlation, and hypotheses were tested at the 0.05 level of significance with 528 degrees of freedom. The results of the five hypotheses indicated a significant relationship between the use of each social media platform and political participation. In all cases, the null hypotheses were rejected, affirming that each of the selected platforms positively influenced political engagement. Based on these findings, the study concludes that social media plays a critical role in enhancing political participation among citizens in Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District. Social media platforms serve not only as channels for political communication but also as tools for mobilization, civic education, public discourse, and real-time engagement during elections. In light of the study's findings, it is recommended that the Government, Political Parties, Opinion Leaders, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) should actively promote and support the use of social media during electioneering periods. By leveraging these platforms, political actors and stakeholders can foster greater transparency, improve voter awareness, and strengthen democratic participation.