Social media can be defined as websites and other online means of communication that are used by large groups of people to share information and to develop social and professional contacts. In Nigeria, social media has become an integral part of life. It is now an important tool for disseminating information online.
During the 2015 general elections in Nigeria, social media played a huge role in shaping public opinion and setting the agenda. Political parties employed various tactics on social media to make known their voices. Almost every presidential & gubernatorial candidate had a social media handle (mostly Facebook & Twitter) which was used to canvass for votes.
Today, every state in Nigeria has a social media handle (although mostly poorly run) which is used to inform its people about the day to day activities of the state government and how it affects the life of the masses.
In this article, we will be taking a look at the top 10 most active governors on social media in Nigeria. The criteria for selection include Number of followers, average number of posts daily, engagement rate & verification status.
Please note that only official Facebook & Twitter handles of the governors were considered for the ranking.
10. Governor Isiaka Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo State)
10. The executive governor of Oyo state, Governor Isiaka Abiola Ajimobi, is one of the oldest governors in Nigeria. He became the first sitting governor in Oyo state to be reelected into office in 2015.
The governor was nicknamed “Mr. Constituted Authority”, after a confrontation with students of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) who were protesting against the nonchalant attitude of the Oyo state government to the affairs of the school.
Gov. Ajimobi is the 10th most followed governor on Twitter with more than 98k followers. He is followed by more than 125k people across his social media handles. He uses his social media handles to constantly inform his followers about the day to day activities of the government.
9. Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwwal (Sokoto State)
9. His Excellency, Aminu Waziri Tambuwwal, the executive governor of Sokoto state is the 9th most socially active governor in Nigeria. He served as the Speaker of the Nigerian House of Representatives from 2011 to 2015. He is one of the few serving governors who have previously been active on social media before being elected into office.
The governor has about 140k followers across his social media handles. He uses his social media handles to report his day to day activities and how it affects the people of Sokoto.
8. Governor Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo State)
8. His Excellency, Rotimi Akeredolu was recently elected as executive governor of Ondo state. He is a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN). The governor previously served as Attorney General of Ondo State from 1997 to 1999. He is also an ex-president of the Nigerian Bar Association.
The governor was in the spotlight on social media after he controversially won the governorship primaries of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in September 2016. This led to a rift among leaders of the party.
Gov. Akeredolu is one of the 3 governors with verified accounts on Twitter. He is followed by about 159k across his social media handles where he regularly posts about his activities as governor of the sunshine state.
7. Governor Udom Gabriel Emmanuel(Kwara State)
Udom Gabriel Emmanuel (born 11 July 1966) is the Governor of Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria, in office since 29 May 2015. He ran successfully for the office of governor in the April 2015 elections on the platform of Akwa Ibom State People’s Democratic Party. Emmanuel was elected Governor of Akwa Ibom State on 11 April 2015. He was sworn in on 29 May 2015. He is followed by about 163k across his social media handles where he regularly posts about his activities as governor.
6. Rochas Owella Okorocha (Imo State)
Owelle Rochas Anayo Okorocha is a Nigerian politician, a philanthropist, business mogul, administrator presently Imo State Governor under the All Peoples Grand Alliance (APGA) flag. He is versed in local, national, and international policies and global trends in economic development. The governor is followed by 186.3k people on his social media account.
5. Governor Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna State)
5. Governor Nasir El-Rufai, the executive governor of Kaduna state is ranked 5th on our list. Popularly called Mallam Nasir El Rufai, the governor needs no introduction when it comes to social media. He uses social media to further amplify his vocal views about the affairs of Nigeria.
Mallam Nasir El Rufai has previously served as Director, Bureau of Public Enterprises and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory. He was nicknamed “Mr Demolition” during his service as Minister of the FCT due to the massive demolition exercise which he approved to rid the FCT of unwanted structures. The governor is followed by 256k people on his social media account.
The governor uses his social media accounts to inform the people of Kaduna state about the ongoings in the state and reiterate his promise to take Kaduna to the next level. His son, Bello El-Rufai, is also popular on social media and is widely seen to be a chip off the old block.
4. Governor Ibikunle Oyelaja Amosun (Ogun State)
4. Governor Ibikunle Amosun, popularly called SIA (acronym for Senator Ibikunle Amosun), has served as executive governor of Ogun State since 2011. The governor is well known for his signature Yoruba cap wearing style.
The governor was previously a member of the Senate representing Ogun Central District. He is followed by about 277k people on his social media handles.
Senator Ibikunle Amosun is very popular in his state for his massive (perceived as unnecessary in some quarters) road projects which include flyovers and multiple lanes expressways. He uses his social media handles to showcase the beauty of Ogun state and inform his people about the ongoing projects in the state.
3. Governor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo (Gombe State)
3. The executive governor of Gombe state, Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo, ranks 9th in our list. The governor is followed by more than 343k people across his social media handles. He also ranks 3rd in the list of most followed governors on Facebook.
The governor posts regularly about his activities in the state, including new & ongoing projects. The governor also uses his social media handles to reiterate his commitment to keeping his campaign promises.
2. Governor Rauf Aregbesola (Osun State)
2. His excellency, Rauf Aregbesola is the executive governor of Osun State. Popularly called “Ogbeni”, the Yoruba word for mister, the governor is perceived to be a figure of love-hate in some quarters. Known for his vocal power, he is often criticized for his management of Osun state.
Ogbeni Aregbesola is the only governor without a cabinet as he deems it too expensive to maintain. The governor has also been widely criticized for the non/partial payment of government workers in Osun state.
Like him or hate him, Ogbeni is a strong political force in the South western part of Nigeria. He also previously served as Commissioner for works & infrastructure in Lagos state under the administration of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
With over 669k followers on social media, the governor remains a force to reckon with. His twitter handle is very popular for regular bants about the English Premier League (EPL) in which he supports Arsenal Football Club.
1. Governor Akinwunmi Ambode (Lagos State)
1. His Excellency, Akinwunmi Ambode, is the executive governor of Lagos state. Lagos is the most populous state in Nigeria. The governor was elected into office in 2015 after a keenly contested election.
Gov Ambode was constantly berated on social media during his early months as governor after being regularly spotted at the popular nightclub, Quilox & embroiled in a messy dispute with his predecessor. The governor has gone on to be the pride of the people of Lagos by commissioning projects of huge magnitude.
Governor Akinwunmi Ambode is the only governor in Nigeria with verified Facebook & Twitter handles. The governor his followed by more than a million people on his social media accounts. He uses the accounts to showcase his day to day activities as governor of the commercial capital of Nigeria, Lagos state.
Conclusion
Despite social media growing to be a very important tool for disseminating information & shaping public opinion, a lot of state governments are still not taking advantage of this tool. Most state governments in Nigeria have very shabby social media accounts which are poorly run and grossly underutilized.
Social media has grown to be more than just a tool for basic interaction to becoming an integral part of life online. Take advantage of it today.
Want to learn more about social media & how to effectively use it? Send a mail to hello@woweffect.com.ng today.
