The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, has condemned the alleged threats and intimidation made against a Lagos-based National Youth Service Corps member, Ushie Uguamaye, also known as Raye, after she posted a video on social media criticising President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Raye, in a video posted on her TikTok account #talktoraye on Saturday, voiced frustration over Nigeria’s deteriorating economic situation, lamenting that hard work no longer guarantees financial stability.
She criticised Tinubu’s leadership, calling him a “terrible leader,” and questioned the government’s commitment to easing citizens’ hardships.
However, in a follow-up video, Raye claimed to have faced threats, reportedly from NYSC officials, pressuring her to take down the video.
She later said she was threatened by NYSC officials for refusing to delete the video, adding that she was summoned before the Eti-Osa 3 LGI’s office at 10 am Monday, March 17.
Reacting to the development in a statement shared on his official X account, Obi condemned the alleged threats Raye has faced from NYSC officials, stating that it reflects a worrying trend where “voices of reason and truth are met with intimidation rather than dialogue and engagement.”
Obi noted that such repression is not new, as he himself has faced threats and harassment for expressing views aimed at offering constructive solutions to government policies.
“I now face daily intimidation, harassment, and name-calling simply for expressing solution-based views on government policies,” he stated.
The former Anambra governor stated that silencing dissenting voices goes against democratic principles.
“A government that silences its citizens is not democratic or one that is subject to accountability and good governance and is most often corrupt,” he remarked.
Obi advised the current administration to embrace criticism as a vital component of democracy, calling on Nigerians not to be intimidated into silence.
“Do not let fear stifle your voice. Stand firm, support one another, and continue to advocate for the Nigeria we all envision—a nation where freedom of speech is sacrosanct, and leadership is accountable to the people, especially in critical areas such as education, healthcare, and poverty alleviation,” he advised.
Meanwhile, the NYSC is yet to issue an official statement on the matter.
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