BROADCAST CAMPAIGN MESSAGES AND WOMEN'S VOTING DECISIONS DURING THE 2023 GUBERNATORIAL ELECTION IN AKWA IBOM STATE

This study examined women's exposure to broadcast campaign messages, the frequency and patterns of that exposure, the messages' influence on voting decisions, and the relationship between exposure and voting decisions in the 2023 gubernatorial election in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. The study surveyed registered female voters (population = 1,133,543). Using the Taro Yamane formula, the study selected a sample of 400, accessed through multi-stage sampling across the three senatorial districts; 397 copies of the questionnaires (99.25%) were usable. A four-point Likert questionnaire (test-retest reliability = 0.92) was analysed using frequencies, percentages, weighted means (criterion mean = 2.50) and Pearson's correlation at the 0.05 level. Results show that exposure was high (mean = 3.29); radio (3.34) slightly exceeded television (3.23). Drama and entertainment-based formats (3.39), jingles (3.25) and advertisements (3.18) were the most appealing, whereas debates (2.17) and interviews (2.37) were not. Influence on voting decisions was moderate (mean = 2.64), strongest for perceptions of candidates (2.85) and weakest for choice of candidate (2.45). Results show a statistically significant positive relationship between exposure and voting decisions, where exposure correlated positively and significantly with voting decisions (r = 0.93, p < 0.05). The findings suggest that broadcast messages provided electoral information but did not necessarily determine women’s final candidate choices, thus indicating that broadcast campaign messages were pervasive and shaped women's perceptions of candidates, but they were a complementary rather than a dominant influence on vote choice. Campaigners and broadcasters should pair attractive formats with substantive issue content.