This is how powerful 6 Nigerian presidential candidates are on Twitter

Ahead of the 2019 presidential election, we checked how powerful and accepted some leading presidential candidates are on the micro-messaging platform, Twitter, and what we found out is intriguing.

More than 79 candidates are jostling to take over power from Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari, in the 2019 general elections.

The president candidates include former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP); Omoyele Sowore of Africa Action Congress (AAC), Fela Durotoye of Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN), Donald Duke of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and Kingsley Moghalu of the Young Progressive Party (YPP) and Obiageli Ezekwesili of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria.

Business Insider by Pulse checked how powerful they are on Twitter and what discuss mostly with the people as well as who are their friends.

Social media influence does not necessarily translate into electoral acceptance but it comes with great influence on the political corridor as it is one of the prominent channels to reach the voting elites.

Here are some of the findings:

1. Oby Ezekwesili - Twitter verified account

As at Tuesday, November 6, 2018, Oby has over 96,000 tweets

Followers: Over 800,000

Important personalities she is following:

- Nigerian footballer, Ahmed Musa and other sports analysts and coaches

- Most of Nigeria's political parties except PDP and APC.

- International development experts and policymakers

Pinned Tweet: "President Muhammadu Buhari has now shown neither the capacity nor the aptitude for the highest office in the land." A tweet calling for donation to support her presidential ambition.

She joined Twitter April 2009.

2. Omoyele Sowore - Twitter account not verified

Sowore had more than 36,000 tweets.

Followers: over 60,000 followers

Important personalities Yele is following:

- Pastor Tunde Bakare

- Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, former Presidents, Goodluck Jonathan and Barack Obama.

- The ruling All Progressives Congress

- Most of the local newspapers

His last tweet was at a town hall meeting in Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria.

Joined: January 2013

3. Atiku Abubakar - Twitter verified account

The ex-vice president has tweeted more than 5,000 times.

Followers: 1.6 million

Important personalities Atiku is following:

He is just following 66 people out of his 1.6 million followers.

- Some of them are Peter Obi, his vice presidential candidate, and Pastor Sam Adeyemi of Daystar Christian Centre

- Senate President, Bukola Saraki, Akinwumi Adesina, Garba Shehu and Yemi Osinbajo.

- Nigerian billionaire, Tony Elumelu and his political opponent, Oby Ezekwesili.

His last tweet was on Nigeria's national amputee team.

He joined Twitter in August 2010.

4. Donald Duke - Twitter verified account

He has tweeted over 500 times.

Followers: Over 87,000

Important personalities Duke is following:

Duke is following only 34 people on Twitter

- His political opponents, Kingsley Moghalu and Femi Durotoye, Atiku and Yemi Osinbajo

- Nigerian billionaire, Aliko Dangote

- Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Ben Murray Bruce and Bukola Saraki.

His tweet as at the time of filing the report called on the government to wake up to its responsibilities over impending labour strike.

Duke joined Twitter in April 2009

5. Kingsley Moghalu - Twitter account not verified

The former CBN deputy governor has tweeted more 1,000 times.

Followers: Over 28,0000

Important personalities Moghalu is following:

- His political opponents, Donald Duke, Oby Ezekwesili

- Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala

His pinned tweet was a video where he was explaining his restructuring plans for Nigeria if elected as President.

He joined Twitter in 2015.

Fela Durotoye - Twitter account not verified

Fela Durotoye has tweeted more than 11,000 times.

Followers: 313,000

Important personalities Fela is following:

- Akinwumi Ambode, Musiliu Obanikoro, some CEOs and motivational speakers.

- Aliko Dangote, Atedo Peterside, Ngozi Okono-Iweala.

Pinned Tweet: “For me, the goal is not just about getting into office but to also trigger a landslide of GOOD PEOPLE in GOVERNMENT who can deliver GOOD GOVERNANCE at ALL LEVELS to take the best decisions on behalf of everyone so that together, we will build a #NewNigeria”

He joined Twitter in March 2010.

VERDICT:

If a single follower is equivalent to a vote, then three leading political candidates will be Atiku Abubakar, Oby Ezekwesili and Fela Durotoye.

None of the presidential candidate is following the main contender, Muhammadu Buhari (@MBuhari) on Twitter as at this time.

This is how powerful 6 Nigerian presidential candidates are on Twitter

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