Corp member wey call Tinubu 'terrible president' break any law? - Wetin NYSC Bye-Law tok

BBC News

17-03-2025

Di question on weda corps members fit come out to tok dia mind on di situation of di kontri or not na im dominate tok-tok for Nigeria social media space ova di weekend.
Di mata turn hot debate afta one corps member wey dey serve for Lagos state, Nigeria biggest commercial city, for one video wey don go viral now, lament di high cost of living for di kontri, plus di economic challenge di kontri dey face.
Di corper also for di video condemn President Bola Tinubu administration, as she call di presido "terrible leader".
She also add say Lagos na "smelling state", wey don generate plenty gbasgbos on social media.
Dis her tok don provoke plenty reactions for di kontri as some Nigerians dey of di position say she no get right as corper to openly kick against di goment according to di National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) handbook. Odas dey of di opinion say she get di right to express her grievance as she be Nigerian and she get di right to exercise di freedom of speech as e dey for di Nigeria constitution.
Some pipo also argue say she be employee of di Nigerian goment, therefore, she no get right to chook mouth for wetin dey happun for di kontri. Odas argue say NYSC na para-military, and so, na no go area.
Although di National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) neva comment on di mata, di corper allege say some NYSC officials don call to threaten her sake of wetin she tok.
Wetin di corper tok wey lead to gbasgbos for di kontri
For di video post wey don go viral for social media now, di corps member lament di economic condition of di kontri.
She say prices of food dey go up every week and question wetin goment dey do to reduce di high cost of living. She describe President Tinubu as a "terrible president" sake of di worsening economic palava.
"I just wan tok say our president, I no know if any oda president dey wey terrible pass you. But you be terrible president."
Afta dat video go viral, di corper post anoda video on her TikTok account wia she allege say one NYSC official call and threaten her to delete di video. But she insist say na di truth about di kontri situation she tok.
Di corper post say, "Dear Nigerians, NYSC board don dey threaten me say make I stop to dey tok on dis issue. In less dan 24 hours, goment don already dey threaten me, starting wit di NYSC board!
"Why I no fit speak up? Becos I be NYSC corper no mean say I no get right to complain.
"Why goment no wan listen to di criticisms of dia citizens? Dem believe say dem get chain on me, wey be NYSC, and dem dey use am to hold me. #officialasiwajubat I no do anything wrong. I criticise your goment, and I demand say make dem hear us."
Wetin NYSC law and di Nigerian constitution tok about di mata?
No specific section for di NYSC Bye-Laws outrightly ban corps members from calling out di goment. However, one clause dey, wey indirectly regulate how corps members fit express themselves publicly.
According to Section 3 (i) of di NYSC Bye-Laws Code of Conduct (2011),
"Any member wey address di press on any policy issue without di written consent of di State Coordinator go dey tried by di Camp Court and, if found guilty, e go dey liable to extension of service for thirty (30) days on half pay."
Dis one mean say if any corps member wan make public statement, especially di one wey go criticise goment policies, technically, dem suppose get clearance from NYSC officials first.
Dis na one of di unclear rules wey NYSC officials dey often use to silence corps members wen dem speak out.
However, wetin di bye law possibly dey refer to na official press engagements, wia di corper go follow tori pipo tok, no be di one dem go post on dia personal social media account.
One Human Rights Lawyer, Inibehe Effiong wey chook mouth for dis mata clear am say no provision dey for di NYSC Act wey subject corps members to civil service Rules. "Criticizing di President or di goment no be offence under di NYSC Act (See Section 13). E also no be offence under di NYSC Bye Laws (Section 4 of di Revised Bye Laws, 2011).
Oga Effiong say im don watch all di videos of di lady wey pipo dey debate on top and im no see anytin slightly partisan for her comments.
E say she only express her justified frustrations wit di situation for di kontri, particularly di impact of di inflation on her and oda Nigerians, wey dey within her constitutional right to freedom of expression as guaranteed by Section 39 of di Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).
Di lawyer also clear am say corps members no be civil servants or public servants. Section 2 of di NYSC Act tok say every eligible Nigerian go dey called-up to serve for a continuous period of one-year national service. Na National Service, no be federal or civil service. Di NYSC na agency of di Federal Government, but corps members no be employees of di federal government or staff of di NYSC.
Also, di Certificate wey corps members dey get afta dem complete dia National Service as prescribed in Section 11 of di NYSC Act na Certificate of National Service, no be certificate of employment. Federal or state goments no dey issue employment letters give corps members.
Amnesty international, odas react
Amnesty International, one ogbonge human rights group for one post on X, tok say di corp member dey perfectly within her right to express her discontent peacefully.
Di rights groups say make authorities prioritize addressing di kontri economic woes instead of her life wey dem dey threaten.
"Make di Nigerian authorities stop to dey respond wit violence and threats to individuals and groups wey express dissenting opinions — in utter disregard for Nigerian constitution and international law. Holding and voicing different views no be crime."
President of di Trade Union Congress (TUC) Festus Osifo, for im reaction tok say di corp member bin tok out of frustration and advise di goment say make dem no go afta her but dey "tolerant of critics."
Oga Osifo wey react on di trending mata on one television programme say goment need to understand say pipo dey para.
"Di goment need to understand say pipo dey frustrated, pipo dey hungry, pipo don tire. So, if dem decide to para, I strongly believe say goment no suppose personalise am and come afta such individuals.
Imagine a young lady wey dey carry out her NYSC function, wetin she really fit do to bring down di goment? Na her personal frustration she air."
One former Nigeria Vice President Atiku Abubakar post say, "I deeply admire her boldness and wisdom—her fearless resolve to speak truth to power, undeterred by di weight of opposition."
E say instead of di hostility wey she don receive, she deserve encouragement and support.
E also be like say human rights activist and presidential candidate for di 2023 general election, Omoyele Sowore, dey rally support for Ms Uguamaye, as e post on X say im go follow her go her NYSC Local Government Inspector office alongside a team of lawyers in case.
Sowore tok say wen dem reach di LGI, no official turn up throughout dia stay.