Project – Digital Political Mobilisation, Online Misinformation and Youth Electoral Participation. A Study of Young registered voters in Jos North LGA, Plateau State.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study

Political participation is a fundamental element of democratic governance because it enables citizens to influence public decisions, choose political leaders and hold elected representatives accountable. Electoral participation, in particular, provides citizens with an opportunity to express their preferences through voter registration, election campaigns, political discussions and voting. In contemporary societies, these activities increasingly occur alongside digital communication, which allows political parties, candidates, civil society organisations and individual citizens to disseminate political information through social networking platforms. Digital political mobilisation refers to the use of internet-based platforms and communication technologies to encourage political awareness, organise supporters, promote campaigns, share electoral information and motivate citizens to participate in political activities. Social media can create opportunities for young people to engage in political conversations and become more informed about electoral issues, although online engagement does not automatically translate into voting or other offline political activities. Mustapha and Omar (2020), in their study of social media use and youths’ political participation during Nigeria’s 2019 general elections, found that young people were more active in online political participation than in offline political activities. Their findings highlight the need to distinguish between digital political engagement and actual electoral participation. This distinction is important for understanding how digital political mobilisation influences young registered voters in Jos North Local Government Area (LGA), Plateau State.

The increasing use of digital communication has changed the ways political actors reach voters, circulate campaign messages and encourage electoral participation. Platforms such as Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, YouTube and X enable users to share political opinions, circulate campaign materials, discuss public policies and communicate electoral information across geographical boundaries. Unlike traditional media, digital platforms allow users not only to receive messages but also to comment, respond, create content and forward information to other users. This interactive capacity can make political mobilisation more immediate and participatory, especially among young people who use digital technologies for communication and information gathering. Boulianne (2015), in a meta-analysis of research on social media use and participation, found an overall positive relationship between social media use and civic and political engagement, while also recognising that the relationship varies across studies and forms of participation. In the Nigerian context, Mustapha and Omar (2020) similarly examined how social media use related to youth political participation during the 2019 general elections. However, the democratic value of digital mobilisation depends partly on the quality, credibility and relevance of the messages being circulated. Where political communication contains inaccurate claims, fabricated election information or misleading interpretations of candidates and electoral procedures, the same channels that encourage participation may also confuse voters and undermine informed decision-making.

Online misinformation has consequently become a significant concern in contemporary electoral communication. Misinformation generally refers to false or inaccurate information shared without necessarily intending to deceive, whereas disinformation refers to false information deliberately created or circulated to mislead others. During election periods, such content may involve fabricated statements attributed to candidates, misleading claims about electoral procedures, false announcements about voting dates or locations, manipulated photographs and videos, inaccurate opinion polls, or unsupported allegations about election administration. The speed and reach of digital communication can allow such material to circulate widely before its accuracy is established. Vosoughi, Roy and Aral (2018), in their study of the diffusion of true and false news online, found that false news spread farther, faster, deeper and more broadly than true news in the Twitter data they examined. Although that study was not limited to Nigeria or electoral communication, it demonstrates why the circulation of misleading information deserves attention in digital political environments. In Nigeria, the dissemination of disinformation about political and electoral processes has also been examined as a challenge associated with online communication, including its potential to shape public opinion and intensify existing social tensions. This makes it necessary to investigate whether exposure to online misinformation affects young registered voters’ confidence in electoral information, political judgement and willingness to participate in elections.

Digital political mobilisation and online misinformation may influence electoral participation through several interconnected processes. Political messages can increase awareness of candidates, communicate information about voting procedures, stimulate discussions about public issues and encourage registered voters to make plans to vote. At the same time, misleading messages may create uncertainty about electoral rules, damage confidence in election administration, exaggerate allegations of electoral misconduct or deepen hostility toward political opponents. These effects may differ depending on whether voters verify information, compare competing sources, trust the individuals sharing the messages or possess the digital literacy needed to assess political claims. Allcott and Gentzkow (2017), in their analysis of social media and fake news in the 2016 United States presidential election, examined how online misinformation could enter the political information environment and influence voters’ exposure to political claims. Their work provides a useful conceptual basis for understanding the relationship between false political information and electoral decision-making, although its findings should not be transferred directly to Nigeria without local investigation. In addition, Boulianne (2015) demonstrates that social media participation and political engagement are related but should be analysed with attention to the type of participation being measured. For this study, it is therefore important to examine not only whether young registered voters encounter political messages online but also whether mobilisation and misinformation are associated with their political awareness, trust, voting intentions and reported electoral participation.

In Nigeria, digital political communication has become an important part of election campaigns, voter education and public debate. Political parties, candidates, electoral authorities, journalists, civil society organisations and ordinary citizens use online platforms to circulate information about elections and political developments. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has also used social media platforms, alongside traditional media and other communication channels, to communicate information about electoral preparations, voting processes and election-related developments. INEC’s report on the 2023 general election recognises the role of media engagement and digital platforms in disseminating information, while also acknowledging the continuing challenge posed by fake news, misinformation and disinformation (INEC, 2024). This institutional experience illustrates the dual character of digital political communication: it can improve the availability of electoral information, but it can also expose voters to misleading content that competes with official announcements. For young registered voters, who may obtain political information from a combination of official accounts, news organisations, influencers, party supporters, friends and family groups, determining which information is credible can become a significant challenge. Consequently, understanding digital political mobilisation in Nigeria requires attention to both its potential to encourage participation and the information risks that may affect voters’ confidence and decisions.

The issue is particularly relevant in Plateau State, where youth political participation has been examined in relation to political parties, electoral activities and wider political engagement. Jos North LGA offers a meaningful setting for investigating these issues because the study can examine the experiences of young registered voters within a defined local political environment rather than assuming that national findings apply equally to every community. Vongdip and Agai (2025), in their study of youth participation in politics in Plateau State with particular attention to Jos North, examined young people’s involvement in party activities, election campaigns, voting and political appointments. Their study raises questions about the forms of political participation available to young people and the extent to which their involvement translates into substantive political influence. Research by Dagona, Karick and Abubakar (2013) also examined the relationship between Facebook use, political attitudes and online political participation among Nigerian youths, with the authors affiliated with the University of Jos among the research team. Together, these studies provide relevant local and national context for investigating the role of digital platforms in youth political engagement. Nevertheless, young people are not a uniform group: differences in education, internet access, political interest, digital literacy and trust in information sources may influence how they respond to online mobilisation and misinformation. A focused investigation of young registered voters in Jos North can therefore help clarify how these factors relate to electoral participation in the study area.

Against this background, the present study examines digital political mobilisation, online misinformation and youth electoral participation among young registered voters in Jos North LGA, Plateau State. It focuses on how young registered voters encounter and engage with digital political messages, the extent to which online mobilisation encourages electoral involvement, and how exposure to misleading political information may be associated with their political knowledge, trust and participation. Electoral participation in this study extends beyond online expressions of political interest to include relevant activities such as seeking voter information, discussing electoral issues, attending or supporting campaigns, making voting plans and participating in elections where applicable. The study also considers the role of information verification and source credibility in shaping young voters’ responses to digital political content. This focus is supported by existing research on the relationship between social media use and youth political participation in Nigeria (Mustapha & Omar, 2020), evidence concerning the circulation of false news online (Vosoughi et al., 2018), and INEC’s recognition of misinformation as a challenge in electoral communication (INEC, 2024). By concentrating on young registered voters in Jos North, the study seeks to provide context-specific evidence about the potential benefits and risks of digital political mobilisation and the implications of online misinformation for electoral participation.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Digital platforms have created new opportunities for political mobilisation by enabling candidates, political parties, electoral institutions and civic organisations to communicate directly with voters. Young registered voters can use these platforms to obtain electoral information, discuss public issues, share campaign messages and encourage others to participate in political activities. However, greater access to digital political communication does not necessarily guarantee informed participation or translate into actual voting. Mustapha and Omar (2020) found that young people’s online political participation during Nigeria’s 2019 general elections was greater than their offline participation, raising an important question about the extent to which digital engagement leads to practical electoral involvement. The problem is that online political activity may be mistaken for effective electoral participation when it consists mainly of viewing, liking, commenting on or forwarding political content. In Jos North LGA, it is therefore necessary to establish how digital political mobilisation relates to the electoral participation of young registered voters and whether online political engagement encourages activities beyond social media interaction.

A further concern is the circulation of misinformation through digital political communication. False claims about candidates, electoral procedures, voting arrangements and election outcomes can circulate through social media accounts, messaging groups and informal online networks. Young registered voters who encounter conflicting or misleading information may find it difficult to distinguish credible electoral guidance from unverified claims. Such exposure may influence their assessment of candidates, their confidence in electoral institutions, their political discussions and their willingness to participate in elections. Vosoughi et al. (2018) demonstrated that false news could spread rapidly through online networks, while INEC (2024) identified fake news, misinformation and disinformation as continuing challenges in the Nigerian electoral information environment. Nevertheless, the presence of misinformation does not automatically establish that every exposed voter will change their political behaviour. The nature of the content, the credibility attributed to its source and the voter’s ability to verify information may affect its consequences. The specific relationship between online misinformation and the electoral participation of young registered voters in Jos North therefore requires empirical examination.

Another aspect of the problem concerns the possible interaction between digital political mobilisation and misinformation. Online campaigns may encourage voter registration awareness, political discussion, campaign attendance and voting intentions, but misleading content circulating through the same platforms may weaken the effectiveness of these activities. For example, a mobilisation message may encourage a young person to participate, while an unverified claim about electoral procedures may create uncertainty or discourage participation. Alternatively, exposure to inaccurate claims may stimulate further political discussion without necessarily reducing willingness to vote. Allcott and Gentzkow (2017) examined the place of fake news within the digital political information environment, while Boulianne (2015) found that social media use is associated with civic and political participation across the studies reviewed. These findings indicate that the relationship between digital communication and political behaviour is complex rather than uniformly positive or negative. The problem for the present study is to determine how digital political mobilisation and online misinformation are associated with electoral participation among young registered voters in Jos North, rather than assuming that digital mobilisation always produces greater participation or that misinformation invariably suppresses it.

Although existing studies have examined social media and youth political participation in Nigeria, misinformation in electoral communication and youth involvement in politics in Plateau State, these strands of research do not automatically provide a complete explanation of how digital political mobilisation and online misinformation jointly relate to electoral participation among young registered voters in Jos North. Mustapha and Omar (2020) focused on social media use and youth political participation during the 2019 general elections, while Vongdip and Agai (2025) examined youth participation in politics in Plateau State, including Jos North. INEC (2024) provides an institutional account of election administration and media engagement during the 2023 general election, including the challenge of misinformation. However, the present study specifically focuses on the interaction between digital political mobilisation, online misinformation and youth electoral participation within the defined study population. Without context-specific evidence, it may be difficult to determine whether digital mobilisation is associated with meaningful electoral involvement, how misinformation exposure relates to participation, and what role information verification plays in young voters’ experiences. This study therefore seeks to address this problem by examining digital political mobilisation, online misinformation and electoral participation among young registered voters in Jos North LGA, Plateau State.

1.3 Aim and Objectives of the Study

The aim of this study is to examine digital political mobilisation, online misinformation and youth electoral participation among young registered voters in Jos North LGA, Plateau State.

The specific objectives are to:

1. Examine the extent to which digital political mobilisation is used to engage young registered voters in Jos North LGA, Plateau State.
2. Assess the extent of young registered voters’ exposure to online misinformation relating to political candidates, parties and electoral processes.
3. Determine the relationship between digital political mobilisation and electoral participation among young registered voters in Jos North LGA.
4. Examine the relationship between exposure to online misinformation and electoral participation among young registered voters in Jos North LGA.

1.4 Research Questions

The study will be guided by the following research questions:

1. To what extent is digital political mobilisation used to engage young registered voters in Jos North LGA, Plateau State?
2. To what extent are young registered voters exposed to online misinformation relating to political candidates, parties and electoral processes?
3. What relationship exists between digital political mobilisation and electoral participation among young registered voters in Jos North LGA?
4. What relationship exists between exposure to online misinformation and electoral participation among young registered voters in Jos North LGA?

1.5 Research Hypothesis

The following null hypothesis will be tested at the 0.05 level of significance:

H₀: There is no statistically significant relationship between digital political mobilisation, exposure to online misinformation and electoral participation among young registered voters in Jos North LGA, Plateau State.

1.6 Significance of the Study

The findings of this study are expected to be useful to young voters, electoral institutions, political parties, civil society organisations, media practitioners, policymakers and researchers.

Young registered voters: The study may help young voters understand the opportunities and risks associated with digital political communication. By examining mobilisation and misinformation together, it may encourage more careful evaluation of online political claims, greater attention to source credibility and more informed participation in electoral activities.

Independent National Electoral Commission: The findings may provide useful insights for INEC’s voter education and public communication activities. Understanding the digital information channels used by young registered voters may help the Commission improve the accessibility, clarity and reach of electoral information and strengthen efforts to counter misleading claims about electoral procedures.

Political parties and candidates: The study may help political parties and candidates understand how digital mobilisation relates to young voters’ electoral involvement. The findings may encourage the use of accurate, transparent and issue-based political communication instead of approaches that depend on misleading claims or unverified information.

Civil society organisations and voter education groups: Organisations involved in civic education may use the findings to design voter awareness programmes that combine political participation with media and information literacy. Such programmes may help young voters recognise misinformation, verify electoral information and distinguish political persuasion from misleading content.

Media practitioners and digital content creators: The study may contribute to awareness of the responsibilities associated with publishing and sharing election-related information. Its findings may encourage verification, contextual reporting and responsible communication during election periods.

Government and policymakers: The study may offer evidence relevant to policies and programmes aimed at encouraging informed youth participation, improving access to trustworthy electoral information and addressing the effects of misleading online political content.

Researchers and students: The study may contribute to the literature on digital political mobilisation, online misinformation and youth electoral participation in Nigeria. It may also provide a basis for future studies comparing young voters across local government areas, states or election cycles.

1.7 Scope of the Study

The geographical scope of the study is Jos North Local Government Area, Plateau State, Nigeria. The population of interest comprises young people who are registered voters and reside within the study area. The study will examine the use of digital platforms for political mobilisation, exposure to online misinformation and the relationship of these factors with electoral participation.

Digital political mobilisation will cover activities such as receiving and sharing online campaign messages, participating in political discussions, accessing voter education content, following political candidates and encouraging others to participate in elections. Online misinformation will cover exposure to false or misleading claims about candidates, political parties, voting procedures and election-related events. Electoral participation will include relevant political and electoral activities, such as seeking voting information, engaging in campaign-related activities, making voting plans and participating in elections where applicable.

The study will focus on the experiences and responses of the selected young registered voters within the period specified by the research design. It will not assume that all young people in Jos North use digital platforms in the same way or that all exposure to political information produces a measurable change in voting behaviour. Its conclusions will be based on the data collected from the study population and should not automatically be generalised to all young people in Plateau State or Nigeria.

1.8 Limitations of the Study

The study may encounter some limitations. First, respondents may find it difficult to recall all the political content they have encountered online or accurately identify whether a particular message was false. To address this limitation, the research instrument will use clear questions and examples of relevant categories of election-related information without directing respondents toward a particular political position.

Second, respondents may be reluctant to disclose their political preferences or describe their electoral behaviour because political issues can be sensitive. The study will explain its academic purpose and assure respondents that their responses will be treated confidentially and reported in aggregate form.

Third, differences in internet access, digital literacy, education and political interest may affect how young registered voters encounter and interpret online political information. Where possible, relevant demographic and communication-related characteristics will be included in the research instrument so that their potential influence can be considered during analysis.

Finally, if the study relies on a cross-sectional questionnaire, it may identify associations between digital political mobilisation, misinformation exposure and electoral participation but may not establish that one factor directly causes another. These limitations will be acknowledged when interpreting the results.

1.9 Operational Definition of Terms

Digital Political Mobilisation: The use of digital platforms and online communication tools to encourage political awareness, campaign engagement, voter education and participation in electoral activities.

Online Misinformation: False or inaccurate political or electoral information circulated through digital platforms, whether or not the person sharing it intends to deceive others.

Disinformation: False or misleading information deliberately created or circulated to deceive audiences or manipulate political understanding.

Youth: For this study, young people will be classified according to the age range specified in the approved research design and consistent with the applicable definition of youth. Only individuals who meet the study’s age criteria and are registered voters will be included.

Registered Voters: Individuals who have completed the applicable voter registration process and are included in the recognised register of voters.

Electoral Participation: Activities through which individuals engage in the electoral process, including seeking electoral information, discussing political issues, participating in campaigns, making voting plans and voting where applicable.

Political Awareness: Knowledge and understanding of political candidates, parties, public issues, electoral procedures and relevant political developments.

Digital Platforms: Internet-based communication services, including social networking sites, messaging applications and video-sharing platforms, through which users create, receive and distribute political information.

Source Credibility: The extent to which a person considers a source of political information trustworthy, knowledgeable and reliable.

Jos North Local Government Area: The local government area in Plateau State that constitutes the geographical setting of this study.

1.10 Organisation of the Study

The study will be organised into five chapters. Chapter One presents the introduction, background to the study, statement of the problem, aim and objectives, research questions, research hypothesis, significance, scope, limitations and operational definitions of terms.

Chapter Two will review relevant conceptual, theoretical and empirical literature on digital political mobilisation, online misinformation and youth electoral participation. It will examine appropriate theories, review related empirical studies and identify the gap the present study seeks to address.

Chapter Three will explain the research methodology, including the research design, study population, sample size and sampling technique, research instrument, validity and reliability procedures, data collection methods and techniques for data analysis.

Chapter Four will present and analyse the data collected from respondents. It will discuss the findings in relation to the research questions, hypothesis and literature reviewed.

Chapter Five will present the summary of findings, conclusion and recommendations arising from the study. It will also identify areas for further research.

Project – Digital Political Mobilisation, Online Misinformation and Youth Electoral Participation. A Study of Young registered voters in Jos North LGA, Plateau State.