Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Nigerian Presidency has demanded that social media influencer Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, face the full weight of the law for circulating what it describes as a fabricated audio recording of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The controversy erupted after a viral video posted by Otse featured a voice, purportedly that of the President, making explosive claims about insecurity, the 2027 elections, and alleged overtures to opposition figures.
In a strongly worded statement shared on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday, 27 May 2026, Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, condemned the audio as fake and accused Otse of “egregious abuse of the social media platform.” “This VDM needs to face the weight of the law for being the conveyor and disseminator of a fake audio of President Tinubu,” Onanuga wrote. “This is a clear case of an egregious abuse of the social media platform.” The presidential aide was responding to a post by an X user identified as Aneex, who questioned why some individuals believed the voice in the audio belonged to the President.
The audio clip at the centre of the dispute, which circulated widely before being shared by Otse, allegedly captured Tinubu’s voice saying that insecurity in Nigeria would continue because Nigerians did not vote for him in 2023. Another version of the audio, according to reports, claimed that a voice note from a former senator of the ruling All Progressives Congress revealed President Tinubu asking former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi to step down from politics. The audio further allegedly alleged plans to allow insecurity to worsen in the South‑East, continued borrowing from the World Bank, and a determination by the President to contest and win the 2027 presidential election regardless of opposition. In the viral video, Otse used the alleged leaked audio to urge Nigerians to vote against President Tinubu’s re‑election bid in the 2027 polls.
Critics and some online users have questioned the authenticity of the recording, noting that the speech pattern in the clip appears clearer and faster than President Tinubu’s known speaking style, which often includes a slight slur. The Presidency has maintained that the recording is entirely fake, possibly AI‑generated or manipulated, and described its circulation as a deliberate attempt to mislead the public and undermine the government. The development comes amid heightened political tensions as the country approaches the 2027 presidential election. Otse, a vocal government critic known for his activism on social issues, has been increasingly critical of the Tinubu administration’s handling of the economy and security challenges. Legal experts suggest that such cases could fall under Nigeria’s Cybercrimes Act, which criminalises the dissemination of false information capable of causing public mischief. As of the time of filing this report, Otse had not publicly responded to the Presidency’s demand for legal action.
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