Social Media & Participation in the Electoral Process Mohammad J. Kuna Special Assistant to the Chair, Independent National Electoral Commission, Abuja

Introduction  Contexts: Power of the New Social Media –Vehicles of a ‘Virtual Political Revolution:' Arab Spring, Occupy Naija – Social & Political Processes: –Governance: Participation, Accountability, Transparency  Opening Possibilities –Availability of Information –Stimulating Debates –Making Informed Choices/Decisions –Broad-Based Participation (Engaging Previously Disinterested Youths) –Voice for the voiceless!  Defining the New Social Media –‘A Group of Internet-Based Applications that build on the Ideological & Technological Foundations of Web 2.0 & that allow the Creation & Exchange of User-Generated Content’ –Internet Forums Weblogs Social blogs Micro-blogging Wikis Podcasts, etc. –Accessibility, Scalability, Immediacy, & User-Driven

Profile of the New Social Media in Nigeria  Density, Reach, Usage –Total Population: 170 million (2011 Est.) –Population with Mobile Phones: 87 million (51.2%) –Internet Users: 44 million; Penetration Rate: 28.43% –Population on Facebook: 4,133,900; Ranks 38 th ; –71% users aged 18-34, of which: 32% (F) & 68% (M)  Power: Organizing Virtual Communities –Information/Discussion Groups –EiE –ReVoDa –Reclaim Naija etc. –Anti-Fuel Subsidy Actions –Impact on Decision Making

INEC & the 2011 Electoral Projects  The Voter Registration Project –Key Data  Polling Units: 119,973  Registration Area Centres/Wards: 8,809  Local Governments: 774  States: 36 + FCT  Total Registered Population: m –Role of ICT in the Voter Registration Project  Hardware: Equipment  Software: Registration Software –Real Time Monitoring of Field Events  INEC Situation Room: –Call Centre (fixed + mobile lines), , Twitter, Facebook, SMS Platform, BBM, Website  Civil Society Situation Room

Key Questions  Seizing the the Terrain: New Forms of Social Mobilization –Embracing the New Social Media –Role of Youth & Volunteers –Openness of the Commission –Need for Real Time Incident Reporting Tools  Situation Room: Organization –Equipment: TV Monitors, Cable TV, Mobile Phones, Analog Lines, BB Messaging Platforms, Computers, Printers, Internet Connectivity, Power Point Projectors and Screens, Notice Boards  Operational Chains  Immediacy & Scaling of Decision Points –Classification of Issues: Critical, Most Urgent, Urgent, Information –Immediate Response –Chain of Command & Scaling

Real Time Monitoring of Events: 2011 General Elections  Real Time Monitoring of Events –Situation Room: Deluge of SMS –Inbound: 111,992 (Including SMSs from Reclaim Naija) –Outbound: 300,000 –Tweets: 1,173 –Facebook: 861 Updates with 15,530 likes –Call Logs –Inbound: 12,235 –Outbound: 852 –Arrests : Unknown; Deaths: 8; Kidnaps: 39 –Total Data Transmitted / Received: 3GB

Towards 2015  Trends in the Use of NSM by EMBs –India: Participation & Fraud Prevention –UK: Encouraging Youth to Register & Vote –New Zealand: Youth Participation in Registration & Voting  Leveraging 2011 Experiences –Information –Increased Participation –Greater Transparency/Accountability –Addressing Fraud & Incident Reporting –Greater Control Over the Electoral Process & Staff  Preparing & Embracing Social Media: 2015 –INEC –Political Parties/Candidates –Civil Society Organizations  Need 4 Policy to Regulate Use in the Electoral Process –Party Campaigns: Between Regulation and Self-Regulation –Results Transmission –Support for Civil Society Organizations

Conclusion Thank You For Listening