Using Twitter during the Nigeria 2015 Elections

In the run-up to the Nigerian Elections, due to hold on 28^th March 2015 and 11^th April 2015, Twitter provides a great way to stay up-to-date, by providing Nigerians with updates, reactions and controversies as they happen in real time.  No matter if you’re near the action or just watching from the sidelines, Twitter allows you to get closer to what’s going on at the heart of Nigerian politics.

Some key official accounts and hashtags to follow in the Nigerian Election Day conversation include:

@SituationRoomNG: A civil society account for compiling information around the elections.

@inecnigeria: The official account for the Independent National Electoral Commission Hotline.

@nigeriadecide: A platform that aggregates live election feeds from voters' smartphones during polls.

@EiENigeria: A group of young Nigerians promoting good governance and citizen engagement during the election time.

Do you want to have a private group discussion with your friends and family? If you want people to know when you’ve voted, or to take part in your Twitter discussion, send a Group Direct Message.  This feature sends videos, texts, emoticons and pictures to up to 20 of your friends at one go.

In many ways, the right to vote is available to every Nigerian of voting age and inclination, much like the right to use Twitter.  Twitter has many similarities to the voting process: so long as you have access to a smartphone or computer, and internet access, you can enjoy the freedom of making sure that your thoughts, comments, feelings, impressions and perceptions are being heard.  Many people in a country such as Nigeria, which is still working on building up its infrastructure, can also enjoy the benefits of congregating with people of similar political aspirations and inclinations, without having to physically be in the same space.

Using hashtags is also a brilliant way to keep abreast of the conversation - you can get direct impressions on specific subjects by following any of the hashtags below:

●     #NigeriaDecides

●     #Nigeria2015

●     #NigeriaElections

If you are interested in keeping up with what Nigeria-focused journalists are reporting on the elections, look no further than the list of Election Journalists on Twitter.  The handy Twitter Lists feature allows you to create lists for public or private use.

Twitter has become a vital communication tool in today’s busy, fast-paced environment.  Political hot topics have in the past received a very popular response within and outside Nigerian borders - the #BringBackOurGirls hashtag, for example, was used by the First Lady of the United States, Michelle Obama, as well as international celebrities such as Justin Timberlake and Salma Hayek.       

Throughout the election period, Twitter has provided an open platform for debate and discussion, bringing enthusiasts of all persuasions closer to the political action than ever before, with an unprecedented number of Tweets flying across the platform.