PRESIDENTIAL candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in the 2023 general election, Omoyele Sowore, has accompanied the National Youth Service Corps member Ushie Rita Uguamaye, also known as Raye, whose video criticising President Bola Tinubu’s administration went viral last weekend, to the NYSC office.
The human rights activist, in a video shared on X earlier on Monday March 17, disclosed that Uguamaye was scheduled to appear before the LGI (Local Government Inspector) on Monday and he would escort her to the office in the company of some lawyers.
After the visit, Sowore in another post on X revealed that they did not meet anyone at the LGI office when they visited.
“We arrived at the Eti-Osa LGI offices of the National Youth Service Corps with youth corper, Ushie Rita Uguamaye, in Lagos.
“She is scheduled to appear before the LGI today, and we escorted her to their offices with attorneys Festus Ogun, Adeyinka Oyesomi, and Ojienoh Justice, but LGI officials had absconded, failing to show up throughout our stay. We will be back,” he posted.
The ICIR reported that Uguamaye raised concerns about her safety after allegedly receiving threats following a viral video in which she criticised Tinubu’s administration over rising inflation and hardship faced by Nigerians.
In the widely circulated video posted on her Instagram page, Uguamaye, @iamraye__, voiced her frustration over the worsening cost of living in Nigeria, claiming she couldn’t afford basic needs with the N33,000 she got monthly as an allowance from the NYSC.
While questioning what the Tinubu government was doing to ease the suffering faced by Nigerians, she dubbed Tinubu as a ‘terrible’ president.
“I don’t know if there is any other president that is as terrible as you, but you are such a terrible president,” she said.
She lamented how prices of goods and services continued to soar, recalling that a crate of eggs, which she once bought for N800, now costs N6,500.
She also highlighted the financial burden of electricity and security bills, the high cost of transportation, and the deteriorating living conditions in the country.
The video has long gone viral, with many praising her while some insulted her for criticising the president.
Among those who backed her outburst against hardship in the country is the former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, and Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 poll, Peter Obi.
Following the video’s widespread circulation, the corps member, in a new video posted on her Instagram @iamraye__, claimed she had received threats, allegedly from NYSC officials.
Backing up her claim, she posted another video where she appeared to be receiving a phone call from an official.
The ICIR reports that since assuming office in May 2023, President Tinubu has embarked on a series of economic reforms aimed at stabilising the nation’s economy.
These measures, which include the removal of subsidies from petrol, exchange rate unification, and increased reliance on food importation to lower consumer prices, have been highly criticised as inflation, food prices, and the cost of living remained high.
Despite signing the new minimum wage of N70,000 into law in June 2024, which is expected to be reflected in the allowances of serving corps members, the Tinubu government has yet to begin its implementation for the NYSC.
Corps members across the country have continued to live on N33,000 they receive monthly as allowance from the Federal Government, except for lucky ones who get additional allowances in the states where they serve and their places of primary assignment.
A reporter with the ICIR
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