The Presidency yesterday clarified its comments regarding the criticism made by Lagos-based National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member, Ushie Uguamaye, against President Bola Tinubu administration in her viral video.
The senior special assistant to the president on Media and Publicity, Temitope Ajayi, had on Facebook, called for “capital punishment under NYSC,” for the corps members’ indiscretion, which attracted a backlash.
He however explained that his comment was misinterpreted and taken out of context.
This came as former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, and other activists, including lawyers, accompanied Uguamaye also known as Raye, to the office of her Local Government Inspector, LGI, who summoned her over a viral video.
Recall that a serving Corp member in Lagos State has cried out over a threat she received from the NYSC board following her recent social media post in which she expressed her displeasure about the rising costs of commodities in the country.
According to the video shared on TikTok via the handle @talktoraye, the serving Corp member, in tears, explained how frustrated she is over the high cost of goods in the market, calling President Ahmed Tinubu’s government a “terrible” one for paying little attention to the hike in commodity prices.
In the video, she said: “If a lot of Nigerians come out and start speaking about what we are going through, maybe changes will be made in the government. I just want to say to our president, “I don’t know if there is any other president that is as terrible as you, but you are such a terrible president.”
In his clarification, Ajayi explained that his use of the phrase was metaphorical, referring to the highest form of disciplinary action within the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme—expulsion.
“The mob get their oxygen from misrepresentations and deliberate mischief,” Ajayi stated. “I made comments under a post where I advertently wrote that what the lady corper did should attract capital punishment under NYSC, which means her indiscretion should attract the highest punishment under the NYSC scheme. The highest punishment under NYSC is expulsion.”
He further pointed out that his follow-up comment, which provided context for his use of “capital punishment,” was ignored.
“It is common sense that there is no death penalty anywhere as punishment under NYSC law,” he added.
Ajayi reiterated his stance that the NYSC scheme is a “historic and treasured national programme” that must not be undermined by indiscipline.
He emphasised the need for adherence to NYSC by-laws and values such as dignity, discipline, and respect for one another as citizens.
