On the 15th of February 2019 all corp members across all states in Nigeria, participating in the 2019 General Elections were told to report to our different RAC's (Registration Area Centres) in a bid to be closer to the polling units.

What does RAC mean? RAC's are designated locations at every Registration Area (RA), where poll officials & election materials are camped overnight for easy & timely movement to Polling Units on Election Day.

It was a pitiable sight last night that corp members across all states of the Federal Republic of Nigeria were left alone without adequate welfarism or security at our different RAC's. This is absolutely unfair & an injustice.

The RAC's we were posted to looked like an IDP Camp for Internally Displaced People. There was no adequate shelter, no water, no food, no security whatsoever. This is highly sardonic, despicable and contemptible.

Most of us took some snacks, food, and water or drinks to the RAC's but the most painful was the lack of adequate SHELTER and SECURITY. This shows clearly that INEC and the Federal Government of Nigeria do not care about us.

Our lives were put at risk last night. Anything could have happened to any corp member(s) all over the country. Last night was the most frightening lives of a lot of corp members and most regret ever participating in this process.

I just kept imagining a situation whereby gun men came to the RAC's and opened fire on corp members, what would have happened? How many lives would have been lost? Will the elections continue if not that it was postponed? There was no SECURITY!

I hope the Director General of NYSC (Maj. Gen. SZ Kazaure, Dss Ph.D FCSN) won't tell us that the security of corp members is/was important to them. The acts by INEC last night showed that our lives are not important to them.

We were left totally unattended to for a greater part of the night without shelter, food, water, security, etc. The supposed RAC's turned to IDP camps. The pictures attached to this write up shows a lot about what we went through.

We slept on benches, chairs and some even slept inside buses, etc. Mosquitoes bit our bodies and we were left with red spots on our skins. Most couldn't even sleep, we were just sitting down in the fear of the unknown.

If the elections wasn't postponed, believe me, almost all corp members would have gone to their designated polling units without taking our baths or even brushing our teeth. This is absolutely unfair, inhumane and ridiculous.

This is just too callous. The NYSC and INEC showed us that the election is more important than our lives. I'm not surprised, we were told during training that if any corp members die or anyone at all, the election will continue.

Some have said that Corp members participated basically because of the money that INEC will pay. Yes, they are partially right but some participated to gain experience that could help in the future.

Despite the monetary rewards or not, that doesn't mean we should be put through the suffering, stress, uncaring and pathetic situation we found ourselves last night at our different RAC's. We deserve a better treatment.

Are they trying to say that our lives are not important because we're saying "Nigeria is ours, Nigeria we serve."? So, we should die in vanity for the sake of Nigeria right? Please, lets act humane and think like one who is humane.

If wishes were horses, I wish Corp members across the nation can come in one voice and accord not to participate in the elections again as rescheduled and let INEC feel the same stress, unhappiness and pain we felt last night.

I know that Corp members will still be used for the rescheduled Elections and I want to appeal to the Director General of NYSC (Maj.Gen. SZ Kazaure) & the Chairman of INEC (Mahmood Yakub) to make amends to these flaws.

We are serving our fatherland. Yes, "We're youths & we have been obeying the clarion call. We have been lifting our nation high, under the sun or in the rain, with dedication and selflessness. Nigeria is ours, Nigeria we serve."

Despite the messages passed by the anthem of the NYSC, we need to know that a lost life can never be regained or resurrected. Our SECURITY & WELFARISM (Shelter basically) is important & that should be worked upon.

I've learned overtime that "the greatest disease in life is not AIDS or CANCER but the inability to speak out when we have fire burning us underneath our cloths." We can't keep on keeping mute because of fear or threats.

"WE ARE CORP MEMBERS & OUR LIVES SHOULD BE VALUED".

Please, SHARE this till it gets to the DG of NYSC, CHAIRMAN of INEC and the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT of NIGERIA.

Our SECURITY & SHELTER are PIVOTAL & NON -NEGOTIABLE.

I am not a masquerade,
I am Corp Member,
StevinMorgan
A PROGRESSIVE NIGERIAN
16.02.2019.