Former presidential aide Reno Omokri has waded into the controversy surrounding the member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) who criticized President Bola Tinubu on TikTok.

According to Omokri, the corps member, a lady identified as Ushie Uguamaye, ought o have resigned before attacking the President.

Omokri buttressed his point by stating that the NYSC is a paramilitary service, contrary to what social media users sre peddling.

He said on Facebook, "In any country on Earth, you can criticise your government and its leaders if you are a member of the military forces and paramilitary services. However, you are expected to resign your commission or leave the force to do so.

"For the same reason, you cannot be a serving member of a military force and paramilitary service and contest for an election. You can contest. But you will have to resign your commission or leave the service to do so.

"In the United Kingdom, it is even more extreme. Please fact-check me. According to the last guidelines in the HSR 2: General Principles of Conduct of the British Civil Service, "You must give your undivided allegiance to the State."

"They have no problem with you attacking the government, but you must resign to do so.

"Many Nigerians are just very sentimental. They do not think. They just jump on trends. The National Youth Service Corp is actually a paramilitary reserve force. That is why it is a corp. It is just like the Federal Road Safety Corp, only that the FRSC is a career, and the NYSC is just for a year.

"Read the NYSC enabling law. The Federal Government of Nigeria can deploy NYSC Corp members to fight during a state of war. Read. It is in the NYSC Act!

"If every corp member was allowed to criticise the government, there would be no discipline in the corp, and any Presidential aspirant supporting this behaviour would be irresponsible.

"There is no perfect government on Earth. If we allow corp members criticise governments publicly, morale in the corp will collapse. Not may. Will. And the NYSC will become an anything can happen institution that gradually loses its relevance and credibility as various corp members start vying to outdo themselves in attacking whichever government policy they dislike.

"People aspiring to lead Nigeria ought to know these things. Not everything should be politicised.

"Please wait until after your one year of service. Then, you can join el-Rufai or Peter Obi's campaigns or their parties. But if you cannot wait for one year, resign now and join them."

ASA