THE IMPACT OF POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS AND MEDIA INFLUENCE ON VOTERS BEHAVIOR IN KOKO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA IN 2023 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

Political campaigns and media influence are central factors in shaping voters’ behaviour during elections. Campaigns serve as platforms through which candidates communicate their programmes, mobilise supporters, and attempt to persuade undecided voters. Media, both traditional and digital, act as the main channels through which these campaigns are disseminated to the electorate. The main objective of this study is to investigate the impact of political campaigns and media influence on voters’ behaviour in the 2023 presidential election in Koko Bese Local Government Area. Four objectives, four research questions, and four hypotheses guided the study. Two hundred registered voters constituted to target population of this study was used as a sample of the study using random sampling techniques. The questionnaire titled (PCMVBQ) was used for data collection and the data was analyzed using frequency count and simple percentage. The findings indicate that political campaigns had a considerable influence on voters’ decisions, particularly through rallies, posters, and radio broadcasts. Social media platforms such as Facebook and WhatsApp also played an increasing role, especially among the youth, by providing quick access to campaign messages and political debates. Traditional media, however, remained the dominant source of information in rural communities with low digital penetration. It is concluded that both political campaigns and media influence shaped the voting patterns in Koko Local Government Area during the 2023 presidential election. Recommendations were made for improved media literacy and responsible campaign practices to strengthen democratic participation. Keywords: Political campaigns, media influence, voter behaviour, Koko Bese LGA, presidential election.