FORMS OF POLITICAL CAMPAIGN BY ELECTIONEERING CANDIDATES IN NIGERIA: A STUDY OF 2019 GOVERNORSHIP ELECTION IN CROSS RIVER STATE

Abstract

There is no ambivalence that Political campaign is instrumental to all political aspirants who are vying for different positions. During the 2019 governorship election in Cross River State, Political parties and their candidates will be sponsoring advertisements through different media like radio, television, newspaper, magazine, billboards, posters, among several others. The ultimate goal behind such political actions is to woo the electorates so as to enhance victory. The study employed survey method and the questionnaire serves as the statutory instruments. The paper used cultivation analysis theory to buttress the study. The findings reveals that electioneering candidates employed campaign during elections in Nigeria. However, the paper concluded that political campaign is very sacrosanct to electioneering candidates in Nigeria and all the political actors at various level involved in one form of campaign or another. Most aspirants used radio and television for campaign during the elections in Cross River State, while some used social media platforms, billboards and posters/pamphlets during election. The study recommended that political candidates should be circumspect when campaigning for elections because it is a platform that gives them the opportunity to seek votes from the electorates.