Presidential aide denies seeking death penalty for NYSC Corp insulting Tinubu

Temitope Ajayi, the President's Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, denied on Monday that he advocated for the execution of a National Youth Service Corps member who had recently broken NYSC bye-laws.

Ajayi stated in a statement titled "Statement on My Twisted Comment on the Corps Member" that his initial comments on the Facebook post were inaccurate and that the NYSC's standards only allow for expulsion, not physical damage.

In reference to a corps member's recent act of imprudence, Ajayi said, "I proposed that egregious and open abuse and disregard of NYSC by-laws and established protocol should attract the full NYSC disciplinary measures."

His remark followed a wave of internet criticism that said he supported the corps member in issue being subjected to a death sentence.

 

Ushie Uguamaye, a corp member from Lagos, criticized President Bola Tinubu's administration on Saturday in a TikTok video that has since gone viral.

Uguamaye bemoaned the rising inflation and economic hardship in Nigeria and voiced his unhappiness with the country's deteriorating economic circumstances.

She also questioned the government's attempts to lessen the suffering endured by the populace and criticized the president, calling him a "terrible leader."

"I am coming from a supermarket where I went to get foodstuff and everything has gone up again," the corp member grumbled. Prices continue to rise, as they do every week.

"What is the government doing in response to this increase?" Perhaps the government would change if many Nigerians come out and begin talking about what we are going through.

"I'm not sure if any other president is as awful as you, Mr. Tinubu." However, Mr. Tinubu, you are an awful president.

In his social media comments, Ajayi argued for the corp member to receive the harshest penalty possible.

Netizens, however, attacked the presidential assistant, interpreting his remarks as a call for the death sentence.

"It has become imperative to dispel the misrepresentation and patent mischief that has trailed my comment on a Facebook post," he said in response to the claims.

"I proposed that the full NYSC disciplinary proceedings be applied to egregious and open misuse and contempt of NYSC bylaws and established protocol. Nothing is inferred or even intimated that goes beyond the rules and regulations already in place.

Expulsion is the harshest penalty under NYSC. I gave the background for my metaphorical use of the death penalty under NYSC in a follow-up comment in the same topic. The explanation provided in the follow-up comment was disregarded.

"It goes without saying that NYSC law prohibits the death penalty as a form of punishment anywhere."