INEC-Sponsored Media Messages and Voters’ Turnout during the 2019 General Elections in Nigeria: A Study of Perception of Warri Voters

Abstract

The media are partners in a democracy because they ensure political participation in the democratic process. Audience perception of the media is vital as it affects credibility and believability of the media and their messages. Credibility and believability of the media are predicated to an extent upon the source of media messages. These issues prompted this study which examined the INEC-Sponsored media messages during the 2019 general elections in Nigeria with specific reference to Warri voters. The study which adopted survey research methodology sampled 384 respondents and used questionnaire to collect data. Data collected were analysed by simple percentages and measures of central tendencies, while hypotheses were tested by Regression Analysis. The study found among others that voters in Warri metropolis perceived that the INEC-Sponsored media messages during the 2019 general elections were credible and thus created the expected level of awareness and sensitization about the general elections. This consequently and significantly influenced voters’ turnout in Warri metropolis during the 2019 general elections. The study thereafter recommended among others that INEC should continue to sponsor unbiased media messages to voters as this will strengthen elections and democracy in Nigeria.