Temitope Ajayi, a media aide to President Bola Tinubu, has called for capital punishment against Ushie Raye Uguamaye, a corps member who criticized the president by labeling him a “terrible” leader in a TikTok post.
Ajayi expressed his discontent with her remarks, arguing that as a corps member, Uguamaye violated her oath and code of conduct, suggesting that she deserved capital punishment under the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) regulations.
“If she were not a corps member, she could say whatever she fancied, like many people do. Citizens can criticize the president or any public official as they wish. It is normal,” Mr. Ajayi stated on Facebook on Monday.
“However, a corps member violated her oath and code of conduct here. That is grounds for capital punishment under NYSC regulations,” he added.
“You can’t abuse the country you are serving as a corps member under any pretext, especially not the symbol of sovereign authority, which is the president. She should be punished to the fullest extent, not just warned.”
In contrast, human rights lawyer Inibehe Effiong defended Uguamaye, stating that criticizing the president or the government is not an offense under the NYSC Act or its bye-laws.
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He pointed out that her comments reflected legitimate frustrations regarding the current economic situation in Nigeria and fell under her constitutional right to freedom of expression.
“Criticizing the president or the government is not an offense under the NYSC Act (see Section 13). It is also not an offense under the NYSC Bye-Laws (see Section 4 of the Revised Bye-Laws, 2011),” the lawyer asserted.
Mr. Effiong added, “I have watched all the videos of this lady that are being debated. There is nothing overtly partisan in her comments.”
He noted that Uguamaye merely expressed her justified frustrations with the state of affairs in the country, particularly regarding the impact of soaring inflation on her and other Nigerians.
“That is within her constitutional right to freedom of expression as guaranteed by Section 39 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended),” Mr. Effiong explained.
The situation has drawn criticism from various figures, including Amnesty International, Atiku Abubakar, and Peter Obi, who have condemned efforts to silence critics of the president, particularly through intimidation tactics directed at Uguamaye.
