The National President of the Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru (FON) Youth Movement, Comrade Chinedu Emerike, has warned Ebonyi youths against cyberbullying, cyberstalking and other forms of online harassment capable of breaching the law, urging them to maintain peace and restraint ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Emerike, also the Senior Special Assistant to Ebonyi State Governor on Youth Mobilization, issued the warning in a statement made available to journalists in Abakaliki on Tuesday, saying that the freedom of expression guaranteed by the Constitution should not be misconstrued as a licence to circulate offensive, threatening or malicious content through digital platforms.
He said the group had observed with concern what he described as increasing cyberstalking and harassment allegedly directed at Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru by opposition-aligned content creators.
According to him, while citizens have the constitutional right to express their opinions, such rights are subject to legal limitations where communications become threatening, abusive or deliberately calculated to cause injury, intimidation or needless anxiety.
“Given that there is a right to freedom of speech and expression as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended, there is also a limitation to it.
“Every citizen has the right to say what is on his or her mind. But it becomes intolerable when someone, either personally or on behalf of another person, spreads offensive or menacing messages with the intent to cause annoyance, insult, injury, criminal intimidation or needless anxiety,” Emerike said.
He urged youths not to allow themselves to be used as instruments for political provocation, stressing that ignorance of the law would not absolve anyone from liability.
Emerike said the FON Youth Movement had remained committed to initiatives aimed at discouraging social vices, including cultism, robbery and kidnapping, which he said had contributed to the prevailing peace and security in the state.
He warned that the same commitment would be applied to cyberstalking and other forms of unlawful online conduct.
“The peddlers should be aware that the law that penalises knowingly or intentionally sending messages or other data through computer systems or networks that are grossly offensive, obscene or menacing, or sent with the intent to cause annoyance, insult, injury, criminal intimidation or needless anxiety, is still enforced,” he stated.
The FON president further defended Nwifuru’s administration, saying the governor had demonstrated what he described as significant achievements in education, healthcare, infrastructure and youth empowerment.
He particularly cited the administration’s empowerment programmes, which he said had provided opportunities for many youths and contributed to reducing social vices across the state.
Emerike maintained that Nwifuru remained entitled to seek re-election in 2027, arguing that the governor’s supporters were already mobilising across the state for the continuation of his administration.
He said the group’s position was anchored on the alleged principle of rotational leadership among Ebonyi North, Ebonyi Central and Ebonyi South senatorial zones.
“The governor of Ebonyi State, His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, has fulfilled his campaign promises as encapsulated in the People’s Charter of Needs, especially by overwhelmingly empowering numerous Ebonyi youths and taking many of them out of the streets, which has subsequently reduced social crimes,” he said.
“It is also obvious that Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru has done tremendously in the areas of health, education, infrastructure and empowerment of Ebonyi people in various spheres of life and cannot be distracted from embarking on projects that will continue to engender multi-sectoral reforms in the state.”
Emerike consequently declared that the FON youths would continue to support Nwifuru's second-term ambition, insisting that there would be no vacancy in the Ebonyi State Government House until 2031.
“FON youths, therefore, reiterate that there is actually no vacancy in Ebonyi State Government House until 2031. We align ourselves with the dictum of the founding fathers of Ebonyi State that bequeathed us the principle of power rotation between the three political blocs of Ebonyi North, Ebonyi Central and Ebonyi South,” he said.
He added that the group had sustained its mobilisation structure since 2023 and would intensify its political engagement ahead of the 2027 elections.
Emerike called on political actors and their supporters to embrace issue-based campaigns and avoid inflammatory rhetoric, character assassination and online activities capable of heightening political tension in the state.
He said the group would continue to mobilise support for the All Progressives Congress and its candidates, while urging Ebonyi youths to remain peaceful and law-abiding throughout the electioneering period.
