PETER OBI BACKS CORPS MEMBER THREATENED FOR COMPLAINING ABOUT ECONOMIC HARDSHIP

Several Nigerians have continued to speak out in support of a female member of the National Youth Corps (NYSC), Ushie Rita Uguamaye, who is facing threats from the management of the agency. Uguamaye, better known as Raye, was allegedly threatened to pull down an online message she posted in which she expressed concerns over the economic hardship in the country. One of the prominent Nigerians who have lend their voice to the issue is the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, who revealed that he had also been subjected to threats for daring to offer constructive suggestions and comments. In a statement on his X.com handle, Obi said that the development “highlights a troubling trend in our nation—one where voices of reason and truth are met with intimidation rather than dialogue and engagement.” “This pattern is not isolated. I, too, have been subjected to threats for daring to offer constructive suggestions and comments. I now face daily intimidation, harassment, and name-calling simply for expressing solution-based views on government policies” Obi noted. The former governor of Anambra State said that such actions are antithetical to the principles of democracy, adding that a government that silences its citizens was not democratic or one that is subject to accountability and good governance and is most often corrupt. Peter Obi urged the current administration to reflect deeply on its approach to dissent and recognize that constructive criticism is a cornerstone of democratic progress. Obi reminded all patriotic Nigerians that the nation's future and development depended on the collective courage to speak out against misgovernance, injustice, and intimidation, adding that they should not let fear stifle their voices. Similarly, Amnesty International Nigeria has also strongly condemned threats and intimidation directed at the NYSC TikTok user due to the video that angered the government.