ROLE OF SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS AS TOOLS FOR ADVANCEMENT OF DEMOCRACY AND GOOD GOVERNANCE AMONG ELECTORATES IN OFFA, KWARA STATE, NIGERIA

This paper has analyzed the Social Media Platforms as a means of promoting Democracy and Good Governance among Electorates in the Offa, Kwara State in Nigeria. The inspiration to the study is the growing popularity of social media in political communication, civic engagement and governance, particularly in fledgling democracies. The increased role of social media sites notwithstanding, there is a knowledge gap on the exact effect on political awareness, participation and accountability on the grassroots level. The core aims of the investigation were to determine the level of social media use to participate in democracy, determine the challenges related to using social media, and determine the effects of using social media in enhancing transparency and accountability. The research used a survey technique (quantitative). The respondents used in the study were registered voters of the area where the study was conducted (Offa Local Government Area) who were selected through convenient sampling and a structured questionnaire was used to collect the data. The analysis of data used descriptive statistical tools in interpreting patterns and trends. The results indicated that most of the respondents were avid users of social media to get information about politics, conduct open debates as well as keep track of the activities of political leaders. Social media was also found to be a major facilitator of free expression, civic engagement and political mobilization. Though, the issues of misinformation and poor digital literacy among a segment of the users were also reported. The paper concludes that social media can play a great role in democratic participation and good governance in case it is used wisely. It suggests further digital literacy campaigns, promoting government on social media, responsible sharing of content, and active participation by government officials to make online democratic participation stronger. Keywords: Social Media, Democracy, Good Governance, Electorates, Political Participation Word Count: 249 Words