LP faction: Withholding Raye’s NYSC certificate another vengeful APC act

The Nenadi Usman faction of the Labour Party (LP) has asked President Bola Tinubu to stop his government’s “authoritarian slide”.

The party was reacting to the decision of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to withhold the discharge certificate of Rita Uguamaye, a corps member and content creator better known as Raye.

BACKGROUND

In March, Uguamaye posted a video criticising the federal government’s policies and commitment to fixing the harsh economy. She would go on to describe Tinubu as a “terrible leader”.

She criticised Lagos’ “poor living conditions” and called the NYSC scheme “not beneficial”, eliciting mixed reactions. She later apologised, explaining that her remarks on Lagos were misunderstood.

Last week, the corps member said the NYSC withheld her discharge certificate, claiming officials accused her of missing clearance, which she blamed on her local government inspector’s refusal to sign April’s attendance.

However, on Sunday, the NYSC said her service year had been extended by two months “for failing to attend the April 2025 biometric clearance”, adding that she was among 131 corps members penalised.

‘IT’S DELIBERATE’

In a statement signed by Ken Asogwa, senior special adviser on media to the LP interim chairperson, the party described the NYSC’s action as “a deliberate attempt to give a dog a bad name in order to hang it”.

The LP factional chair said Tinubu must also “rein in overzealous state agents determined to turn Nigeria into a repressive state under the guise of protecting the regime”.

Usman said withholding Raye’s certificate was “another vengeful act emblematic of Tinubu’s APC administration”, adding that the president should order the NYSC to release Raye’s discharge certificate.

“According to Raye’s account, her Local Government Inspector (LGI) unjustly denied her the opportunity to complete the biometric process for that month,” the statement reads.

“Independent findings corroborate her story: Raye presented herself at the LGI centre in April with all required documentation, only to be turned away by the official on duty.

“It is deeply regrettable that freedom of expression and the right to hold opinions — guaranteed under Section 39(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) — have effectively been criminalised by this intolerant APC government.

“What exactly did Raye say that is not already common knowledge? Is there any Nigerian today who does not know that this APC government is ‘terrible’ in its policy initiatives and implementations? Why, then, should she be victimised for merely echoing an open secret?

“While it is no secret that this government is hypersensitive and incapable of accommodating dissent, particularly regarding its lacklustre policies that have impoverished millions and plunged over 133 million Nigerians into multidimensional poverty in just two years, we urge President Bola Tinubu to demonstrate at least a pretence of tolerance.

“He should immediately direct the NYSC to issue Raye her discharge certificate, having fulfilled all lawful requirements.

“The President must also rein in overzealous state agents determined to turn Nigeria into a repressive state under the guise of protecting the regime.”

The LP chair also said the government’s “dangerous descent into authoritarianism” threatens democracy, warning that “tyrannical impulses” and the silence of “men and women of good conscience” imperil Nigeria’s future.