OPINION LEADERS INFLUENCE ON VOTERS DECISION IN IKOT EKPENE DURING THE 2015 GENERAL ELECTION

The study was carried out to assess the influence of opinion leaders on voting decisions of electorates Ikot Ekpene. The objectives were to determine the extent to which opinion leaders influenced the voting decisions of electorates in Ikot Ekpene, how they influenced the electorates and why the opinion leaders were successful in influencing the voting decisions of the electorates. A sample size of 384 was drawn from a total population of 203,200, which is the population of Ikot Ekpene. It is concluded from the findings of the study that opinion leaders in Ikot Ekpene influenced the voting decisions of the electorates through interpersonal and group communication with the electorates and by use of gifts. It is recommended from the study that voters should realize that whoever they the vote for will impact on their lives in future. Therefore, they should continue with the gesture of wisely casting their votes free from bias and without being influenced either by social ties or other trivial considerations with retrogressive tendency.