Writer: EFOSA JUSTIN
- Governor Ademola Adeleke
- Governor Godwin Obaseki
- Governor Babajide Sanwoolu
- Governor Yahaya Bello
- Governor Dapo Abiodun
- Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRasaq
- Governor Hope Uzodimma
- Governor Charles Soludo
- Governor Seyi Makinde
- Governor Rotimi Akeredolu
In an era where the influence of social media on the general populace cannot be overemphasized, where social media platforms now serve as the first servers of news and trends to society, social media has become a tool for effective governance.
Many public officeholders have come to this understanding and have been able to effectively harness the use of digital connectivity with the masses for different purposes.
Social media platforms have been very beneficial in the dissemination of information, connection with the masses, showcasing of administration achievements, and trending of political campaigns.
Social Media vs. Traditional Media; Scaling Through Modern Information Space
Here are 10 Nigerian governors who have established strong online presence with outstanding social media practice.
1. Governor Ademola Adeleke
Elected to office in 2022, Gov Adeleke has been enjoying the benefits of social media before he was sworn in as the governor of Osun State in November 2022.
With his over 200k followers on @AAdeleke_01 official X (formerly Twitter) account and over 450k followers on his official @aadeleke_01 Instagram.
He was able to gain popularity through social media and was quickly nicknamed “The Dancing Senator” because of his dancing skills shown in videos that trended across various social media platforms.
Since his election into office as the executive governor of Osun State, he has utilized social media to showcase the achievements of his administration over the past year.
2. Governor Godwin Obaseki
The Edo state governor is known for his digital inclination and this is evident in how he has leveraged social media both in his political run and in the course of his administration. Gov Godwin Obaseki has gathered over 178k followers on his official @governorobaseki Instagram account and 180k followers on @GovernorObaseki official X account. GGO as he is fondly called is also making the best out of social media as the governor of Edo state for dissemination of information and connection with the masses.
3. Governor Babajide Sanwoolu
With the fast pace of development going on in Lagos state and the relative rush which the city is known for, Lagos state needs every means to disseminate information and follow up on events around the city.
Fortunately, the governor of the state is a man with adept knowledge of the importance of social media for the fast circulation of information and he has employed the use of it maximally.
The Lagos state Governor has a strong X presence with over 2 million followers on his X Twitter account, @jidesanwoolu and over 800k followers on his @jidesanwoolu official instagram account.
This large following can be credited to the large population in the state.
4. Governor Yahaya Bello
The Kogi state governor who is currently at the tail end of his second term in office is one of the e Nigerian governors who have capitalized positively on social media for governance.
The two terms which can described as rather eventful have supplied sufficient content to the over 38k followers on his official X account, @_YahayaBello and over 118k followers on @officialgybkogi on Instagram.
These are the official social media accounts of the Kogi state governor.
5. Governor Dapo Abiodun
The Ogun state Governor currently in his second term has harnessed social media in the showcasing of achievements of the state especially in the education sector.
Prince Dr. Dapo Abiodun who has about 352k Instagram followers following his @dapoabiodunmfr official instagram account and over 198k followers following his @dabiodunMFR official X account.
With Over 7000 posts on his twitter page, it is safe to say Gov Dapo Abiodun has maintained an active social media presence since assuming office as Governor of the state.
6. Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRasaq
The Governor of Kwara state has also maintained a remarkably consistent presence on social media. Gathering over 88k followers on X and 94k on instagram, the second term serving governor has benefited positively from social media.
Gov AbdulRahman who has been described as the friendliest governor in the country certainly enjoys connecting with the people of his state through his social media platforms.
The Governor has also engaged the use of social media for the exhibiting of completed projects and events within the state. Gov AbdulRazaq’s official social media accounts are @RealAARahman on Twitter and @realaarahman on Instagram.
7. Governor Hope Uzodimma
The Imo state governor has used social media platforms for the dissemination of information and unveiling of projects within the state. Gov Hope Uzodimma has demonstrated an adept understanding of the power of social media by leveraging it for effective communication and connection between the government and the people. The Governor has
Over 20k follower on his official X account, Hope_Uzodimma1, and over 116k followers on his official Instagram account, @he_hopeuzodimma
8. Governor Charles Soludo
As a former Central Bank Governor, Gov Charles Soludo had acquainted himself with the use of social media for governance and has been maintaining the same prowess in his tenure as the current governor of Anambra state.
Gov Soludo has gathered over 166k followers on X while on Instagram he has over 100k followers. The Anambra state Governor fully maximizes his use of these social media platforms for the dissemination of information and the showcasing of achievements of the state under his leadership.
The official X account of the governor is @CCSoludo and the official Instagram account of the governor is @ccsoludo.
9. Governor Seyi Makinde
Being one of the youngest governors in the country, Governor Seyi Makinde has shown outstanding social media presence over the years.
He has harnessed the use of social media in many dynamic ways both socially and officially. This brings him very close to the people of Oyo state, especially the youths.
The Oyo state Governor has over 700k followers on his official X account, @seyiamakinde, and over 600k followers on his official Instagram account @seyi_amakinde.
10. Governor Rotimi Akeredolu
The Ondo State Governor is one who has also taken advantage of social media for effective governance.
Gov Rotimi Akeredolu SAN has had an active and outstanding social media presence throughout his 6 years in office, using social media platforms for the dissemination of information and publicity of administrative achievements over the past 6years of his administration.
Gov Akeredolu has over 120k followers on his official X account, @RotimiAkeredolu, and over 100k followers on Instagram, @rotimiaketi.
Social media has done a lot to help bring public officeholders closer to the people. With the high rate of fake news spreading across the country, which is caused by the abuse of social media, these same Social media platforms have also helped to provide a quick reach to the populace to debunk these fake news and rumors in order to restore calmness.
A governor who is active on social media can easily follow up on events happening around the state and quickly respond to mitigate the widespread of fake news.
