Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar’s media aide, Paul Ibe, says Temitope Ajayi’s call for capital punishment for the corper Ushie Rita ‘Raye’ Uguamaye is symptomatic of President Bola Tinubu’s government’s growing intolerance for criticisms and opposition.

Ms Uguamaye recently excoriated Mr Tinubu as the most “terrible” president the country has ever had as she lamented the galloping inflation pounding millions of Nigerians deeper into poverty.

In the aftermath of her scathing remarks, Mr Ajayi, a presidential aide, called for the head of the corps member, specifically mooting a death penalty. Allegations of more threats against Ms Uguamaye have been reported.

Reacting to Mr Ajayi’s statement, Mr Ibe said, “The call for the death penalty on Raye, the corps member, who called out President Bola Tinubu for being a ‘terrible President’ is symptomatic of this administration’s intolerance of alternative viewpoints and disdain for democratic values.

The spokesman for Mr Atiku added, “Truth be told, what they’re currently doing in terms of the weaponisation of poverty and pain-inflicting policies on the over 200 million citizens of our beloved country is akin to a death sentence. #tinubuisadisaster.”

Ushie ‘Raye’ Uguamaye, the corper, had in a recent TikTok post subjected Mr Tinubu to opprobrium. Ms Uguamaye is serving in Lagos.