By Itoro Ekwere / Sola Popoola
The GoldHeart Foundation has intensified efforts to promote credible electoral processes by sensitising youth group leaders on their roles and responsibilities before, during, and after elections.
The Foundation organised a one-day step-down capacity-building workshop aimed at equipping youth leaders with the knowledge and skills required to effectively participate in electoral processes and contribute to peaceful and transparent elections.
The workshop focused on critical issues surrounding electoral processes, youth participation in governance, misinformation, and the spread of fake news, all of which have significant implications for the integrity of elections.
The one-day step-down capacity-building workshop answers questions that revolve around electoral processes, youth participation, misinformation, and fake news, which are key to driving the needed results before, during, and after the exercise.
The Project is – Led by WYDE Civic Engagement
Implemented by Democracy Reporting International (DRI) with Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) and Powered by the European Union & European Partnership for Democracy (EPD).The Ekiti Implementing partners: GoldHeart Foundation, GRIP and Capstone Mission
Moyinoluwa Ogundowole, the Executive Director of GoldHeart Foundation explained that the training is organized to consolidate the effort of CJID, and to ensure that the training received is effectively stepped down to the Youth Groups representatives in Ekiti State as the election draws closer.
According to her, “the training is to ensure that youth group representatives are exposed to the knowledge of participation, electoral processes, and how they can also be involved.” She added that youth participation is key to achieving the government we want, so educating them and engaging them is a vital part that should not be ignored.”
Speaking at the opening session, Lawrence Riches, the Convener for Beta Government Project Lead said that true governance can only be achieved when the youth transition from social media commentators to active voters.
“We are here to demystify the voting process and highlight why sitting on the fence during this election is an abdication of your future,” he stated. “As representatives, your job is to cascade this knowledge down to your communities. Tell them that their vote is their voice, and it cannot be bought.”
Abimbola Fatimeye, a facilitator at the training, urged the women to come out en masse and exercise their civil rights, which is one of the basic ways “we can hold our government accountable” and ensure that only candidates who are people-minded should be voted for.
She encouraged the women to cast their votes with dignity and not sell or exchange their votes for food or any material items, as this would determine their fate in the next four years.
The interactive sessions took the participants through the mechanics of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), ways to identify and counter misinformation, and creative strategies for community-level mobilization. Special emphasis was placed on maintaining a peaceful atmosphere throughout the election cycle, urging youth leaders to resist being used as instruments for electoral malpractice.
A participant, ThankGod Ochaye, a representative of Climate Care Youth Initiative, expressed optimism about the impact of the training, promising to rapidly implement the step-down strategy before the June 20 ballot.
“This workshop has given us practical tools,” the delegate said. “We aren’t just going back to tell our peers to vote; we are going back to show them why their participation matters for the infrastructure, jobs, and security of Ekiti State over the next four years.”
With 13 political parties clearing candidates for the governorship race, including the incumbent Governor Biodun Oyebanji, civil society groups are ramping up similar civic education initiatives to ensure a high, peaceful, and well-informed voter turnout across the state.