Presidency seeks legal action against VDM over alleged Tinubu audio

The Presidency has called for legal action against social media influencer Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VDM or VeryDarkMan, over an audio recording allegedly linked to President Bola Tinubu that has been circulating online.

The call was made by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, who accused the influencer of spreading false information on social media.

Mr Onanuga made the allegation in a post shared on his X handle on Wednesday while reacting to controversy surrounding the audio recording purportedly attributed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“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,” Mr Onanuga wrote.

The presidential aide’s reaction followed comments by another X user identified as Aneex, who questioned claims that the voice in the recording belonged to the president.The user reportedly described the audio as “cheap propaganda” and accused VDM of taking advantage of public sentiment to circulate misleading content online.

The controversy has since generated widespread reactions across social media platforms, with many users debating the authenticity of the recording and raising concerns about the spread of unverified content in the digital space.

The development adds to a growing debate in Nigeria over misinformation, digital regulation, and the responsibilities of influencers and content creators on social media platforms.

In recent years, Nigerian authorities have repeatedly expressed concerns about fake news and manipulated online content, particularly materials involving public officials and government institutions.

Security agencies and government spokespersons have often warned that the spread of false information online could threaten public order and national stability.

VDM, one of Nigeria’s most followed online personalities, is known for controversial commentaries and social media activism. He has previously been involved in several public disputes involving celebrities, religious figures, and public institutions.

As of the time of filing this report, the influencer had not publicly responded to Mr Onanuga’s latest comments or the calls for possible legal action.