Tinubu’s aide and Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Temitope Ajayi has called for severe punishment for Ushie ‘Raye’ Uguamaye, a corps member. Ugomma made headlines after releasing video on TikTok criticizing the President Tinubu led administration.
In the video which has now made rounds on social media, stirring multiple reactions, and bringing notable figures to her defense, the corps member tearfully expressed frustration over the high cost of living in Nigeria, describing President Tinubu as a “terrible” president, stating that the current administration was responsible for the economic difficulties Nigerians are experiencing. Read story here
Tinubu’s aide Ajayi was obviously displeased with Uguamaye’s comments and called for her to face dire consequences owning to the fact that she is a serving corps member.
Tinubu’s aide took to his social media to express his displeasure. He wrote “If she is not a corper, she can say whatever she fancies like people do per second. Citizens can abuse a living day out of their President or any public official. It is normal,”
Ajayi stressed that being a corps member, Uguamaye had violated her oath and code of conduct, claiming that this warranted “capital punishment” under the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). He stated that corps members are prohibited from criticizing the country they are serving more so the president, who represents the country’s sovereign authority.
As expected, his statement raised mixed reactions and following the backlash that ensued, he attempted to clarify his statement.
In a bid to exonerate himself, Tinubu’s aide claimed that he was not calling for Uguamaye’s death, but he was rather implying that she faces the maximum punishment under the NYSA, which is be expulsion from the service corps.
Tinubu’s aide wrote, “I made comments under a post where I advertently wrote that what the lady corper did should attract capital punishment under NYSA, which means her indiscretion should attract the highest punishment under the NYSA scheme.”
Following this, a human rights lawyer Inibehe Effiong has spoken in Uguamaye’s defense. Effiong stating that criticizing the president or government is not an offense under the NYSA Act or Bye-Laws.
He highlighted that Uguamaye’s comments are protected under her constitutional right to freedom of speech and expression.
He further explained that he had gone through Uguamaye’s videos and found nothing political in her comments. He argued that Uguamaye was simply expressing her valid frustration with current state of things in Nigeria, particularly the impact of inflation on her and other citizens. Effiong emphasized that this expression was well within her rights and is protected by Section 39 of the Nigerian Constitution.
Other notable figures and bodies including; Amnesty International, Atiku Abubakar, TUC and Peter Obi have also condemned the attempts to punish. Read also https://naijaeyesblog.com/politics/obi-tuc-others-defend-nysc-corper/
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