… Says Stop Insulting People’s Intelligence
The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has faulted the claim by the minister of Art, Culture and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, on Sunday, who spoke about the controversy surrounding her National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate, asserting her legal standing on the issue by denying that she broke any law.
HURIWA recalled that during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Musawa stated, “I didn’t break the law,” in response to questions regarding the matter.
“The matter had been adjudicated and one day, I will come out with my account. I have probably done more NYSC than you (presenter). I have done at least two NYSCs in my life.
“I think what I owe Nigerians is to say that I didn’t do anything wrong. I didn’t break the law. The NYSC I did and finished. That is the much I can tell you. Everything I did was by the law.
“That was why I also said that one day I would come out with my account of what happened to set the record straight. As of now, I think it is important for me to focus on giving Nigerians the deliverables,” she said.
HURIWA however disagreed strongly with the positions canvassed by the minister just as the Rights group said that as a lawyer, the Minister ought to know that there is an extant and validly made by-law made by the National Youth Service Corps known as the National Youth Service Corps BYE-LAW which was revised in 2021.
The Rights group said under that BYE-LAW, the Minister was wrong to have accepted partisan political appointment as a cabinet level minister even.
HURIWA added that if as alleged that she served under the presidential campaign council of the then candidate of the All Progressives Congress as a coper which also violates the BYE-LAW of the NYSC, then it can be summed up that she violated the BYE-LAW on two different circumstances of participating in partisan politics and then picking up partisan ministerial appointment even as a corper.
HURIWA said since the NYSC BYE-LAW was validly made and revised by a body created by law, then the provisions of the BYE-LAW have the force of law.
HURIWA which broke the news then that Musawa accepted to serve as cabinet level minister even whilst serving as a corper attached to a law firm based in Barnex Plaza Wuse two, further carpeted the minister for refusing to accept that a serving corper is banned by law of the NYSC from serving as a political minister whilst she/he is a corper actively.
The Rights group said the management of the NYSC confirmed that she was a corper as at the time the controversy was sparked off.
Besides, HURIWA in a statement by the National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko listed out some of the offences specified by the NYSC BYE-LAW which has a force of law given that NYSC is an institution established by law even as the Rights group listed those provisions specifying the said offences by corpers as specified in article 4 of the BYE-LAW as follows: “MISCELLANEOUS OFFENCES AND PENALTIES
Every member shall:
1. Not lose the NYSC identity card. Any member who loses the NYSC identity card is liable to a fine of five hundred naira (N500.00) which shall be receipted.
2. Follow the right channel of communication. o Any member who fails, neglects or refuses to follow the right channel of communication shall be tried by the Corps Disciplinary Committee and, if found guilty, shall be liable to the following penalties:
i. No action shall be taken on such communication; and
ii. Extension of service for twenty-one (21) days with half pay.
3. Not be involved in forgery o Any member who is involved in forgery shall be reported to the police for prosecution
4. Not be involved in kidnapping o Any member who is involved in kidnapping shall be reported to the police for prosecution
5. Not form any organization or group without the written consent of the State Coordinator o Any member who forms any organization or group without the consent of the State Coordinator shall be liable to the following penalties:
i. Proscription of the group; and
ii. Extension of service for a period not less than fourteen (14) days with half pay
6. Not be involved in fraud o Any member who is involved in fraud shall be reported to the police for prosecution
7. Not engage in fighting o Any member who engages in fighting shall be liable to the following penalties:
i) Extension of service for a period not less than twenty one (21) days without pay.
ii) If the fight results in injury, the culprit shall bear the cost of medical treatment.
8. Not assault NYSC official or any officer in his Place of Primary Assignment o Any member who assaults NYSC official or any officer in his Place of Primary Assignment shall be liable to extension of service for a period not less than twenty one (21) days without pay.
9. Not take part in partisan politics. o Any member who takes part in partisan politics is liable to extension of service for a period not less than three (3) months without pay.
10. Not lose any item of kits o Any member who loses any item of kits is liable to pay the equivalent of the current price of the kit item for replacement. Such payment shall be receipted
11. Not fail to produce identity card on demand by NYSC official o Any member who fails, refuses or neglects to produce his identity card on demand by NYSC official is liable to extension of service for a period not less than twenty one (21) days with half pay.
HURIWA pointed out that article 9 of the validly made By-law of the NYSC, stated that no serving corper is to validly accept political appointment or take part in partisan politics.
HURIWA blamed both president Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the NYSC for allowing these apparent violations of the NYSC BYE-LAW to perdure only because the minister is from a prominent political family and given that she worked vigorously to campaign for Tinubu, the President may not have wanted to offend the powerful political forces behind the minister.
HURIWA pointed out that under the same NYSC’S BYE-LAW, some corpers from poor homes who wore trousers as part of their corpers’ uniforms, were sanctioned even as one of these embattled corper contested her punishment in the competent court of law.
HURIWA has therefore asked the minister to stop disrespecting the intelligence of the good people of Nigeria by defending the indefensible. … Says Stop Insulting People’s Intelligence
(HURIWA) has faulted the claim by the minister of Art, Culture and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, on Sunday, who spoke about the controversy surrounding her National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate, asserting her legal standing on the issue by denying that she broke any law.
HURIWA recalled that during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Musawa stated, “I didn’t break the law,” in response to questions regarding the matter.
“The matter had been adjudicated and one day, I will come out with my account. I have probably done more NYSC than you (presenter). I have done at least two NYSCs in my life.
“I think what I owe Nigerians is to say that I didn’t do anything wrong. I didn’t break the law. The NYSC I did and finished. That is the much I can tell you. Everything I did was by the law.
“That was why I also said that one day I would come out with my account of what happened to set the record straight. As of now, I think it is important for me to focus on giving Nigerians the deliverables,” she said.
HURIWA however disagreed strongly with the positions canvassed by the minister just as the Rights group said that as a lawyer, the Minister ought to know that there is an extant and validly made by-law made by the National Youth Service Corps known as the National Youth Service Corps BYE-LAW which was revised in 2021.
The Rights group said under that BYE-LAW, the Minister was wrong to have accepted partisan political appointment as a cabinet level minister even.
HURIWA added that if as alleged that she served under the presidential campaign council of the then candidate of the All Progressives Congress as a coper which also violates the BYE-LAW of the NYSC, then it can be summed up that she violated the BYE-LAW on two different circumstances of participating in partisan politics and then picking up partisan ministerial appointment even as a corper.
HURIWA said since the NYSC BYE-LAW was validly made and revised by a body created by law, then the provisions of the BYE-LAW have the force of law.
HURIWA which broke the news then that Musawa accepted to serve as cabinet level minister even whilst serving as a corper attached to a law firm based in Barnex Plaza Wuse two, further carpeted the minister for refusing to accept that a serving corper is banned by law of the NYSC from serving as a political minister whilst she/he is a corper actively.
The Rights group said the management of the NYSC confirmed that she was a corper as at the time the controversy was sparked off.
Besides, HURIWA in a statement by the National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko listed out some of the offences specified by the NYSC BYE-LAW which has a force of law given that NYSC is an institution established by law even as the Rights group listed those provisions specifying the said offences by corpers as specified in article 4 of the BYE-LAW as follows: “MISCELLANEOUS OFFENCES AND PENALTIES
Every member shall:
1. Not lose the NYSC identity card. Any member who loses the NYSC identity card is liable to a fine of five hundred naira (N500.00) which shall be receipted.
2. Follow the right channel of communication. o Any member who fails, neglects or refuses to follow the right channel of communication shall be tried by the Corps Disciplinary Committee and, if found guilty, shall be liable to the following penalties:
i. No action shall be taken on such communication; and
ii. Extension of service for twenty-one (21) days with half pay.
3. Not be involved in forgery o Any member who is involved in forgery shall be reported to the police for prosecution
4. Not be involved in kidnapping o Any member who is involved in kidnapping shall be reported to the police for prosecution
5. Not form any organization or group without the written consent of the State Coordinator o Any member who forms any organization or group without the consent of the State Coordinator shall be liable to the following penalties:
i. Proscription of the group; and
ii. Extension of service for a period not less than fourteen (14) days with half pay
6. Not be involved in fraud o Any member who is involved in fraud shall be reported to the police for prosecution
7. Not engage in fighting o Any member who engages in fighting shall be liable to the following penalties:
i) Extension of service for a period not less than twenty one (21) days without pay.
ii) If the fight results in injury, the culprit shall bear the cost of medical treatment.
8. Not assault NYSC official or any officer in his Place of Primary Assignment o Any member who assaults NYSC official or any officer in his Place of Primary Assignment shall be liable to extension of service for a period not less than twenty one (21) days without pay.
9. Not take part in partisan politics. o Any member who takes part in partisan politics is liable to extension of service for a period not less than three (3) months without pay.
10. Not lose any item of kits o Any member who loses any item of kits is liable to pay the equivalent of the current price of the kit item for replacement. Such payment shall be receipted
11. Not fail to produce identity card on demand by NYSC official o Any member who fails, refuses or neglects to produce his identity card on demand by NYSC official is liable to extension of service for a period not less than twenty one (21) days with half pay.
HURIWA pointed out that article 9 of the validly made By-law of the NYSC, stated that no serving corper is to validly accept political appointment or take part in partisan politics.
HURIWA blamed both president Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the NYSC for allowing these apparent violations of the NYSC BYE-LAW to perdure only because the minister is from a prominent political family and given that she worked vigorously to campaign for Tinubu, the President may not have wanted to offend the powerful political forces behind the minister.
HURIWA pointed out that under the same NYSC’S BYE-LAW, some corpers from poor homes who wore trousers as part of their corpers’ uniforms, were sanctioned even as one of these embattled corper contested her punishment in the competent court of law.
HURIWA has therefore asked the minister to stop disrespecting the intelligence of the good people of Nigeria by defending the indefensible.
