The Presidency has denied the authenticity of a viral audio recording allegedly featuring President Bola Tinubu and has threatened legal action against social media influencer Martins Vincent Otse, known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), who shared the clip online.
Presidential Aide Reacts
Bayo Onanuga, a presidential aide, condemned the circulation of the audio, calling it a fabricated and misleading piece of content. In a statement issued on May 27, 2026, Onanuga accused VDM of abusing social media platforms and spreading false information that could mislead Nigerians and damage the President's reputation.
“This VDM needs to face the weight of the law for being the conveyor and disseminator of a fake audio of President Tinubu. This is a clear case of an egregious abuse of the social media platform,” Onanuga said.
Details of the Controversial Audio
The controversy began when VDM posted a video claiming to have obtained an audio recording of President Tinubu discussing various issues, including insecurity, the 2027 election, Peter Obi, and World Bank loans. In the recording, a voice purportedly belonging to Tinubu made statements such as, “They have been trying to take me out of the position but it's not possible, mind you I am winning this election, I do not care whatever is happening, Nigerians deserve it.”
The audio also allegedly contained remarks about insecurity in the South-East and borrowing from the World Bank. Another part of the clip claimed, “I called Peter Obi to stepped down for me but he refused. I am not begging him again, I will be whatsoever in my mind and I will make sure the insecurity affects the people in South East more.”
Government Response
The Presidency dismissed the recording as doctored or AI-generated, emphasizing that it was entirely false. Onanuga warned that spreading unverified content, especially on sensitive political matters, poses a threat to public trust, democratic stability, and national security.
As of the time of this report, the Presidency had not confirmed whether formal legal proceedings would be initiated against VDM. The influencer has yet to respond publicly to Onanuga's statement.
