Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga has criticised social media influencer Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VDM, over the circulation of an alleged audio recording linked to President Bola Tinubu, describing it as fake and calling for legal action against the influencer.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Onanuga accused VDM of abusing social media platforms by disseminating false information capable of misleading the public and tarnishing the image of the President.
“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 stated.
The controversy erupted after VDM shared a video online in which he claimed to have obtained an audio recording allegedly featuring President Tinubu speaking on issues surrounding insecurity, politics and the 2027 elections.
While introducing the recording, the influencer questioned Nigerians who might still support Tinubu in the next election cycle.
The controversial audio allegedly contained remarks attributed to the President concerning political opposition, insecurity in the South-East and the administration’s borrowing from the World Bank.
In parts of the purported recording, the voice alleged to be Tinubu’s claimed that efforts to remove him from office would fail and suggested that insecurity was being politicised ahead of future elections.
The recording also allegedly referenced opposition figures and foreign loans, with statements implying that insecurity and borrowing were tied to political calculations.
However, Onanuga dismissed the recording as fabricated, insisting that the content was deliberately designed to spread falsehood and incite public distrust.
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According to the presidential aide, the circulation of manipulated or unverified materials on social media poses serious threats to national security, democratic stability and public confidence in governance.
As of the time of filing this report, the Presidency had not announced whether formal legal proceedings would be initiated against VDM.
The social media influencer had also not publicly responded to Onanuga’s comments.
