Assessment Of Political Advertising On Electorates

Introduction

1.1 Background of the Study

The nomination and election of candidates into various political offices are important in party politics and representative democracy. In every political party, such nominations are made at national and state conventions preceding the presidential, gubernatorial, and other local elections (Achor and Moguluwa, 2012). Prior to the 2023 general elections in Nigeria, political parties through keenly contested or ‘stage managed’ primaries produced candidates who vied for various political offices. Securing a party’s candidature is a hurdle that must be passed using intra-party connections, personal contacts, and aspirant’s credentials or achievements. After securing a party’s candidacy, the candidate and the political party have an uphill task to winning during general elections (Achor, 2011). Irrespective of the level of political campaign, the electorate (voters) is the target. They buy the political product if the product meets their needs; they are also the recipients of political messages that solicit their support or vote. The voters may vary in their expectations which could range from a desire for total change from ‘politics as usual’, vibrant and visionary political leadership, to detribalized leader with holistic electorate-focused programmes (Achor, Nwachukwu and Udensi, 2023). As targets in political campaign (i.e. electioneering and voter mobilization campaigns), the voters are influenced through various political marketing strategies and programmes. The array of political marketing strategies provides information which voters need to assess candidate’s capability in satisfying their needs. The contents of the campaign blue-print are the expressions of candidate’s objectives for seeking votes from the electorate (Owuamalam, 2022).

Prior to the 2023 presidential election , the three prominent gubernatorial candidates massively employed political marketing strategies. These were employed to woo voters or persuade them to vote candidate of their choice or political party. One prominent strategy adopted by the three presidential candidates was political advertising, which is a kind of advertising specifically directed to the electorate to persuade them to vote for or against a candidate. Political advertising was massively employed since there is no known cutting edge strategy that can win all the time, given the political terrain in Nigeria where competition is stiff.

It can be recalled that the political atmosphere prior to the presidential elections was tense as a result of the incumbent president defection to All Progressives Congress (APC), the then opposition party in Nigeria. The polity was unduly heated while the electorate was divided due to issues and negative propaganda strategies that were used by both the opposition and incumbent political party to sway public opinion to their favour. To be able to holistically influence voters, different forms of political advertising which anchored on different unique selling propositions (USPs) were used. The implication is that political messages must be anchored around a specific issue, which explains why a candidate should be preferred to others in an election (Owuamalam, 2022). Although scholars and practitioners alike agree that political advertising is important for every election campaign, there seems to be no agreement on the effects of political advertising on electoral outcomes or choice of candidate for election.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Since the 21st century, the mass media have played a significant role in communicating information on political activities to citizens in Nigeria about the government, electoral parties’ political candidate, manifestoes and other activities of concern to the people. Communication is necessary for every society to progress and in the political society; communication is equivalent to the passage of messages from political elites to electorates, where feedback is given through the electorate’s voting of their choice of candidate. Political advertising is an expedient avenue for political parties to connect with their large audience via various media platforms.

The past two decades witnessed increased use of political advertising in Nigeria as a tool for mobilizing electorate’s support for elections ( Achor and Moguluwa, 2012). Prior to and during 2023 presidential in Nigeria, political parties employed advertising to sell their parties’ manifestoes and candidates. Given the heated political atmosphere that pervaded presidential election prior to the elections, it was not quite clear whether the crafted political advertising messages significantly influenced the voting public. All political advertising must have a message capable of influencing attitude, behavior and opinion (Nwosu and Nkamnebe, 2006). However, it was also not clear whether voters’ choice of candidate during the gubernatorial election were informed by the unique selling propositions used in the political advertising campaigns. More so, it is not evidently clear whether the majority of voters who voted during 2023 presidential election in Nigeria made informed voting decisions or choices as a result of their exposure to political advertising messages. In political communication, the credibility of the source and medium used impact on the message believability. Voters too were faced with the dilemma of either accepting or rejecting the message based on the above fact. During the electioneering campaign, the presidential candidates used different media in delivering their message and some of the media used had a different confusing message which is not really clear if they had any impact on voter choice of candidate on the Election Day.

1.3 Objective of the Study

The primary aim of this study is to focus on political advertising on electorates in the 2023 presidential election in Adaba, Ondo State as a case study. Thus, the following objectives;

To identify the media platforms commonly visited by Adaba, Ondo State electorates for political adverts.

To determine the extent to which Adaba, Ondo State electorates are exposed to political advertisements.

Ascertain whether political advertising have a significant influence on electorates choice in the 2023 presidential election in Adaba, Ondo State.

 

1.4 Research Questions

The study will be anchored by the following question;

Has media platforms are commonly visited by Adaba, Ondo State electorates for political adverts?

To what extent are Adaba, Ondo State electorates exposed to political advertisements?

Does political advertising have a significant influence on electorates choice in the 2023 presidential election in Adaba, Ondo State?

 

1.5 Research hypothesis

Ho: Political advertising does not have a significant influence on electorates choice in the 2023 presidential election in Adaba, Ondo State.

Ha: Political advertising have a significant influence on electorates choice in the 2023 presidential election in Adaba, Ondo State.

 

1.6 Significance of the Study

This study will be significant as it will bring to the fore an awareness on the imbued prowess of political advertising in inculcating a push in electorates to vote for a particular candidate. It will be relevant to the government as it will allow for them to take the necessary steps to campaign properly. It will also be significant to other researchers as it would serve as relevant material to be inputted in their research.

1.7 Scope of the Study

This study boarders on political advertising on electorates in the 2023 presidential election in Adaba, Ondo State as a case study. Hence, the study will only cover the Adaba, Ondo State electorates.

1.8 Limitations of the Study

This research project, like all human endeavors, had some challenges that threatened to derail the study’s completion. One of the reasons is that the time allotted for this work was so limited that the researcher did not have enough time to complete the task thoroughly. During data collection, the researcher also had to put forth extra effort to understand the respondents’ interview schedules, several of whom fell into the incomprehensible age group. Also, there were financial and transportation constraints to deal with. Insufficient funds tend to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing the relevant materials, literature, or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire, interview).

1.9 Definition of Terms

Political Advertising:

Political advertising includes any advertising displays, newspaper ads, billboards, signs, brochures, articles, tabloids, flyers, letters, radio or television presentations, digital or social media advertising, or other means of mass communication, used for the purpose of appealing, directly or indirectly, for votes

Electorate:

Constitutes all the people in a country or area who are entitled to vote in an election.

Candidate:

A person who applies for or is nominated for a position. In this study, candidate refers to an individual who has been nominated for an election.

1.10 Organizations of the Study

The study is categorized into five chapters. The first chapter presents the background of the study, statement of the problem, objective of the study, research questions and hypothesis, the significance of the study, scope/limitations of the study, and definition of terms. The chapter two covers the review of literature with emphasis on conceptual framework, theoretical framework, and empirical review. Likewise, the chapter three which is the research methodology, specifically covers the research design, population of the study, sample size determination, sample size, abnd selection technique and procedure, research instrument and administration, method of data collection, method of data analysis, validity and reliability of the study, and ethical consideration. The second to last chapter being the chapter four presents the data presentation and analysis, while the last chapter(chapter five) contains the summary, conclusion and recommendation.