Ebonyi NYCN mobilizes youths for voter registration

By, Uchenna Okeh Abakaliki 

The leadership of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Ebonyi State Chapter has ahead of the 2027 general election mobilizes youths to participate in voter registration in the state.

The group also cautioned youths in the state to shun using social media as a tool for political attacks and fake news. 

They urged young people across the state to embrace responsible online behavior and focus on activities that promote unity, innovation, and civic participation.

Speaking when a delegation of social media influencers paid an unscheduled visit to the NYCN Annex Office at the Pa Ngele Oruta Township Stadium in Abakaliki, the State Chairman of the Council, Comrade Douglas Ochishi, expressed concern over what he described as a rising “politics of calumny” among online users.

Ochishi condemned the trend of defamation and politically motivated misinformation circulating on social media platforms, likening it to “a harmattan wind that does no man any good.” He stressed that social media should be used to advance creativity, entrepreneurship, and positive discourse rather than to fuel division and blackmail.

“The way some of our youths now use social media makes us appear naïve,” Ochishi said. “In developed societies, social media drives good ideology, creativity, and business. But here, we often see fire-brigade approaches aimed at tarnishing people’s images. This must stop.”

The youth leader further reminded the influencers that laws exist to punish the spread of false or misleading information, warning that even reposting unverified content could attract legal consequences.

“Some people buy Android phones and think that gives them license to insult or misinform. Remember, there are laws guiding online publication, and ignorance is not an excuse,” he cautioned.

Ochishi called for unity among Ebonyi youths irrespective of political or social affiliations, describing them as “one indivisible family.” 

He encouraged them to use their digital influence to mobilize for voter registration and to support the ongoing development agenda of Governor Francis Nwifuru, noting the administration’s progress in infrastructure, education, water, and youth empowerment.

“As a youth council, we will continue to support the People’s Charter of Needs led by His Excellency. When you build the youth, you build the nation,” he added.

In his remarks, Mr. Jethro Luke, a social media influencer and founder of Nkenkenyi Media, pledged continued collaboration with the NYCN to combat fake news and promote credible information online. 

He revealed that his organization is already leading voter registration awareness campaigns across rural communities.

“We are working to mobilize people without voter’s cards to register. We’ve appealed to some stakeholders to donate buses to transport rural voters. Our aim is to ensure every eligible Ebonyian is ready to participate in the coming elections,” Luke stated.

Luke also warned against the reposting of false information, emphasizing that the law penalizes both originators and sharers of fake content.

“Confirm, confirm, and confirm before you post. Once you share fake information, you become liable. Nobody will save you when the law comes for you,” he said.

Other speakers at the meeting reaffirmed their commitment to partnering with the NYCN to promote responsible social media engagement, civic education, and youth-driven development initiatives across the state.