Political Memes as Participatory Rhetoric for Voter Mobilisation during Elections

Political communication during elections has increasingly shifted to digital spaces, with political memes emerging as a prominent form of citizen-generated content. This study examined political memes as participatory rhetoric for voter mobilisation during elections in Nigeria. Anchored in Participatory Rhetoric Theory, Framing Theory and Agenda-Setting Theory, the study adopted the library research method. Findings from the reviewed literature indicated that memes framed candidates as “heroes,” “villains” or “incompetent,” with such affective frames attracting high levels of engagement and demonstrating a significant association with voter-turnout intentions. Thematic evidence also showed that viral memes set the agenda for interpersonal political discussions by foregrounding issues such as youth inclusion and insecurity. The study concluded that political memes function as participatory rhetorical artefacts that simplify electoral issues, foster in-group solidarity and mobilise first-time and politically apathetic voters beyond elite-controlled campaign channels. However, the circulation of satirical misinformation through memes poses risks to informed political participation.