Temitope Ajayi, President Bola Tinubu’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, has defended his remarks about a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member who criticised the president’s handling of the economy.
Ajayi had previously stated that the corps member’s actions warranted “capital punishment” under NYSC rules.
However, he later clarified that he was referring to the strictest disciplinary action allowed within the NYSC system—expulsion—not execution, as some reports had suggested.
The controversy started when Ushie Uguamaye, an NYSC member serving in Lagos, posted a video on social media criticising the government’s economic policies and calling President Tinubu a “terrible leader.”
In response, Ajayi argued on Facebook that as a corps member, Uguamaye had violated NYSC’s code of conduct by publicly criticising the president.
He insisted that she should face the highest disciplinary action under NYSC rules.
His comment, particularly his use of the term “capital punishment,” sparked outrage, with some media outlets interpreting it as a call for execution.
Ajayi has since denied this, accusing critics of twisting his words.
Following the backlash, Uguamaye posted another video stating that some NYSC officials had contacted her, pressuring her to delete her video and report to her Local Government Inspector (LGI).
On the day of her visit to the NYSC office, she was accompanied by Omoyele Sowore, a former presidential candidate, and human rights lawyer Festus Ogun. However, the LGI was reportedly unavailable at the time.
