Information Management by Political Parties During the 2023 Gubernatorial Elections in Cross River State, Nigeria

This paper examines how political parties managed political information during the 2023 gubernatorial elections in Cross River State, Nigeria. The objectives of the study were to examine the information management strategies adopted by the APC and PDP and to assess the effectiveness of these strategies in achieving electoral goals. Data were collected through survey instruments and analysed using descriptive statistics and ANOVA at the 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that both the APC and PDP deployed multi-channel information strategies, including social media campaigns, traditional media messaging, grassroots mobilisation, and data-driven targeting of specific voter blocs. Although these strategies improved message speed, visibility, and engagement among some demographic groups, their overall persuasive effect on undecided voters and their capacity to drive turnout were perceived as moderate rather than strong. The ANOVA results further indicated no statistically significant difference between the APC and PDP in the strategies used or in the perceived effectiveness of those strategies for achieving electoral goals. The study concludes that while both parties have modernised their communication architectures, the effectiveness of information management still depends on local networks, credibility, and the ability to bridge digital divides between urban and rural audiences. The study recommends that parties should continue to strengthen digital communication teams for rapid messaging while also sustaining ward-level grassroots structures and town-hall engagements, since face-to-face contact remains critical for building trust, particularly in rural communities and among older voters.