The Nigerian presidential aide, Bayo Onanuga, has lashed out at social media influencer, Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VDM, over the circulation of what he described as a fake audio recording purportedly linked to President Bola Tinubu, insisting that the matter should attract legal consequences.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, May 27, 2026, Onanuga accused VDM of abusing social media platforms through the dissemination of false information 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,” Onanuga stated.
The controversy followed a video posted earlier by Martins Vincent Otse, also known as VDM, in which he claimed to have obtained an audio recording allegedly featuring President Tinubu speaking on the country’s political situation, insecurity, and the 2027 elections.
Introducing the recording in the video, VDM said, “After this audio that I am about to play, I would ask if they cooked Nigerians who will support Tinubu in 2027 or you guys are okay.”
The audio clip played in the video allegedly featured Tinubu making controversial remarks regarding attempts to remove him from office, insecurity in the South-East, and borrowing from the World Bank.
In the purported recording, the voice alleged to be that of the President said, “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 voice in the audio further stated, “Because when I was running as a President, they did not want me, now all of a sudden they want me to rescue them from insecurity.”
Another section of the recording allegedly quoted the President as saying, “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.”
The purported audio also contained comments about foreign loans and insecurity, claiming, “Listen i am going to borrow more and more money from the World Bank, I won’t like to stop this insecurity because if I do, how will our party be able to win elections, think about it, even the loans I am taking is to fund them.”
However, Onanuga dismissed the audio as fabricated and accused VDM of deliberately spreading falsehood.
The presidential aide maintained that the circulation of manipulated or unverified materials on social media poses serious dangers to public trust, national security, and democratic stability.
The Presidency has not indicated whether legal proceedings would immediately be initiated against the social media influencer.
Martins Vincent is yet to also react to Bayo Onanuga’s statement as of the time of filing this report.
