Peter Obi, Leadership Requires Discipline – An Open Letter from Reno Omokri

Mr. Peter Obi,
Former Governor of Anambra,
C/O Labour Party,
No. 2 IBM Haruna Street,
Utako, Abuja FCT.,
Nigeria.

Dear, Mr Peter Obi
I write to draw your attention to an issue of grave national importance that, if left to fester, could affect the stability of the Nigerian state.
It is the height of indiscipline for Ushie Uguamaye, also known as Raye, a serving youth corp member, to describe the President of Nigeria and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces in the language used in her viral video. It is also distasteful for her to insult Lagos State as a smelly place while serving in a scheme meant to promote Nigeria’s unity.

If she were not a serving National Youth Service Corp member, then her behaviour would not be an issue. But she is.
And I am not sure that you displayed the right judgment in validating a corp member who insulted the President of Nigeria and attacked the government of Nigeria while undermining the management of the National Youth Service Corps.

As a former Governor, sworn in on the Nigerian Constitution, sir, perhaps you ought to think beyond your present position as an opposition politician. It is not about the person of President Bola Tinubu. It is about the office. If that young woman can insult President Bola Tinubu, she can also insult you. Make no mistake about that.
Nobody aspiring to lead Nigeria should support lawlessness even if it aligns with their political objectives.
This has nothing to do with whether or not some of her complaints are valid or not.
In my opinion, if a graduate has been posted to Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, or any other metropolitan area with a higher cost of living than the average Nigerian standard, they ought to be paid more than those posted to less urban states.

In spite of my personal opinions on this issue, I am cognizant that it is simply impossible to run a government if members of the armed forces, paramilitary services, and civil service do not show total loyalty and allegiance to the lawfully constituted government.
As God sees my heart, this would be my stance whether the government in power was led by you or any of the Presidential candidates that contested the 2023 elections.
Where would Nigeria be if soldiers, police officers, customs, prisons, immigration officers, civil servants, and youth corps members could just go on social media, radio and television, or the print media to publicly attack the lawfully constituted government under which they serve?
The answer is that Nigeria would become an anarchic society.
They can do it. But first, they ought to resign or, in the case of the NYSC, wait until the end of their mandatory service year.

Sir, if you feel that I am not being objective, I urge you to subject my analysis to Grok or other AI fact-checking and allow it to tell you whether or not what I am saying is factual.
Young people without the benefit of your public service may act based on their emotions. However, it is expected of you, sir, to focus on what is stable: the Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
You have several companies. If your employees come out to publicly criticise you, will you retain them in your employment?

Are you not the same person who kept malice with your former friend, Nobel Laureate Professor Wole Soyinka, after he called you ‘Gbajue’? Why did you quarrel with Mr. Soyinka if you genuinely believed what Raye did was right?
Can you, sir, hire such a person as Ushie Uguamaye, in your companies? Criticism is not bad in the private sector. But criticism with such vulgar words to an employer? I doubt if you can accept that.
Without proof, you accused the government of threatening Miss Uguamaye, but what did you do when your supporters threatened to kill me and my family? Peter, are you not the same person who threatened ‘religious war’ on the Muslim Ummah in your leaked audio?

The Constitution gives citizens the right to freedom of speech. The Constitution also validated the law establishing the NYSC. If you serve the country in the NYSC or any capacity, you cannot publicly criticise the government. You owe total allegiance to the state.
No freedom or right is absolute. Citizens have freedom of movement. However, if you walk unauthorised into Aso Rock Presidential Villa or any restricted military facility, you can be legally shot on the spot.
You have freedom of association. However, if you associate with an institution or individual deemed an enemy of the state, you can be prosecuted by law.

Sir, I sincerely appeal to you to reconsider that statement in Nigeria’s best interest. Thank you.
Yours sincerely,
Reno Omokri