Social media influencer Martins Vincent Otse, known as VeryDarkMan, or VDM, has criticised the Presidency over claims linking him to a "doctored" audio recording allegedly featuring President Bola Tinubu.
In a statement issued through his lawyers, Deji Adeyanju & Partners, Otse condemned remarks made by Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy.
Onanuga had called for legal action against the influencer over his alleged role in circulating the clip.
The controversy began after a video appeared online in which Otse introduced an audio recording he said he had obtained.
In the clip, a voice purported to be Tinubu made comments on attempts to remove him from office, insecurity in the South-East, borrowing from the World Bank, and the 2027 elections.
Otse urged followers to listen and decide for themselves ahead of any potential re-election bid.
Onanuga responded on X on Wednesday, accusing Otse of spreading false content that could mislead the public and damage the President’s reputation.
READ ALSO: VDM Faces Possible Prosecution over AI-Generated Tinubu Clip
He said the case was "a clear case of an egregious abuse of the social media platform" and called for the influencer to face the law.
Otse’s legal team debunked the allegation, saying the audio was fabricated and had no connection to their client.
They said a check of his verified social media accounts would show he neither made nor shared the recording.
"It is therefore surprising that, despite the resources available to the Presidency, adverse comments were made concerning our client without proper verification of the facts," the lawyers said.
The team added that the episode reinforced Otse’s belief that influential figures in government were seeking to silence him over his criticism of public issues.
They called on security agencies to investigate the origin and spread of the doctored audio and prosecute those responsible.
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