Influence of WhatsApp Messages on Electoral Participation during the 2023 General Elections among Staff of Abuja Municipal Area Council
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Abstract
This study examines the influence of WhatsApp messages on electoral participation during the 2023 general elections among staff members of the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC). The study is based on the Social Media Engagement Theory, which explores how social media users generate, share, and engage with content. Using a quantitative survey approach, data were collected from 351 respondents through a structured questionnaire and analysed using descriptive statistics. The findings indicate that WhatsApp played a central role in the dissemination of political messages, with the majority of respondents reporting frequent exposure to political content via the platform. Additionally, the study found that WhatsApp messages had a significant impact on electoral participation, motivating respondents to vote and influencing their decision- making. However, the study also highlighted the prevalence of misinformation, hate speech, and emotionally charged content, which could undermine the quality of public discourse. Based on these findings, the study recommends that the Electoral Commission (INEC) and civil society groups use WhatsApp for voter engagement, that political parties use the platform for transparent communication, and that stricter content moderation policies be implemented to combat misinformation.
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