TheCable

Premium Times Books, the book publishing arm of the Premium Times Group, has unveiled a body of work dissecting the impact of digital politics on Nigerian elections.

The book titled: ‘Cyber Politics: Social Media, Social Demography and Voting Behaviour in Nigeria,’ is authored by Omoniyi Ibietan.

Ibietan is the head of the media relations management unit of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

Cyber Politics is a 12-chapter read that gives expression to a critical phase within the distinct trajectory of Nigerian democracy.

The 460-page book examines the nascent digital culture involving internet use, especially during elections.

The book deploys Nigeria’s 2015 presidential election as a sounding board.

In the book’s introduction, Dapo Olorunyomi, chief executive officer (CEO) of the Premium Times Group, described details of the work as “intriguing” in its exploration of the “digital effect” on elections.

“In the context of the Nigerian market framework, we also get to appreciate, through his lenses, the comparative appeal of each of the social channels. WhatsApp is the battle axe, while Twitter, hysterical though it is, remains limited,” he wrote.

“Ibietan demonstrates how Facebook appeals to age and its abstract commitment to attention and community makes its credentials for advancing democracy a suspect.”

In the book’s foreword, Umar Danbatta, executive vice chairman of NCC, said the title clearly established “the nexus between social media and voting behaviour, and the influence of the social media ecosystem, among others, in the electoral process”.

“The book is a compelling narrative, a scholar’s guide and companion on the various political communication themes it interprets. It is difficult to put down this work once you are drawn by its alluring and free-flowing prose and incisive analysis.”

The book is available as physical copies and soft back versions in bookstores across the country from June 12.

Electronic copies of the book can also be purchased on online platforms, including Amazon.