Presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, has called for legal action against social media activist, Martins Vincent Otse (VDM), over the circulation of an alleged fake audio recording purportedly featuring President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
key Highlights:
Onanuga, in a post on X on Wednesday, accused VDM of disseminating false content capable of misleading the public and damaging 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,” he wrote.
The controversial audio clip, which VDM shared, allegedly features a voice said to be that of Tinubu making a series of politically sensitive remarks ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The recording, which has not been independently verified, is widely believed to show signs of AI-generated voice cloning. In it, the voice purportedly attributes statements to Tinubu suggesting that insecurity in the South-East was intentional, that he had pressured former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, to step down during the 2023 election cycle, and that he was indifferent to the economic hardship faced by Nigerians.
It also alleges that loans obtained from the World Bank were being diverted to fund election activities.
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In a video accompanying the audio, VDM addressed followers in a mix of English and Pidgin, urging them to critically assess the content before drawing conclusions about the President’s possible re-election bid in 2027.
“You people watch it… after you people watch it, we go decide whether na shrine dem cook una mind,” he said, before urging supporters of Tinubu to listen carefully.
After playing the clip, he declared his opposition to Tinubu’s re-election, saying the President had failed to deliver meaningful progress.
“This man does not have anything to offer. Come 2027, any other option is welcome… President Bola Ahmed Tinubu cannot offer us anything anymore. So he should go,” he added.
