Mass Media, Voter Education and the 2023 General Elections in Nigeria

Abstract

Voter education is critical to successful elections, and the mass media can be effectively engaged to achieve it. Nigeria’s mass media are  efficient socio-politico message delivery channels which can be relied upon to educate voters for the 2023 general elections. This paper  provides perspective from the Agenda Setting Theory to show that Nigerian mass media can successfully draw public attention to pertinent election-related issues to enhance participation in the 2023 general elections through voter education content. The paper  shows that the media must team up with INEC and government public enlightenment agencies to trigger public discussions on electoral  matters and assist members of the public in getting up-to-date information by providing necessary details, analyses, illustrations and demonstrations. The paper identifies the elitist perception of the media, apathy to political issues, and distrust of politicians as the  constraints to voter education by the mass media. The paper recommends that all tiers of government, INEC, NPC, NOA, political parties  and other stakeholders in the 2023 general election should participate in voters' education. The government and politicians should   cultivate the electorate's trust through impactful trust-building activities.