PARTISAN PRESS: EXAMINING THE ROLE OF THE PRESS IN NIGERIA’S ELECTORAL PROCESS BETWEEN 1922 AND 1966

This qualitative study employs a historical case study approach to trace the origin of the symbiotic relationship between the press and the electoral process in Nigeria today, focusing on involvement of early newspapers in elections and electoral campaigns from 1922 to 1966. The study investigates the role of the press in shaping public opinion, influencing, electoral outcomes, and the country's electoral process in general. Through review of historical records and works of other scholars on the subject matter, this study reveals the significant impact of the press on Nigeria's electoral process during the colonial and early independence era. Using elite theory to examine how publishers of early newspapers used the press to propagate their political interests, the study focuses on activities of early Nigerian nationalists and political elites to illustrate the press's influence on electoral outcomes and the democratic process during the period. The findings of this study highlight the press's crucial role in shaping public opinion, mobilizing political support, and promoting political actors during election periods. The study also establishes how the press's involvement in the early days of electioneering laid the foundation for the media's current influence on the electoral process in Nigeria by exploring the historical context of the press's relationship with the electoral process. The study's insights are relevant to understanding the ongoing challenges and opportunities facing Nigeria's democratic process and the role of the media in shaping the country's democratic future.