Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga has called for legal action against social media influencer Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VDM, over the circulation of an audio clip allegedly featuring President Bola Tinubu.
In a post on his verified X (formerly Twitter) handle, @aonanuga1956, Onanuga accused VDM of abusing social media by sharing what he described as a fabricated and misleading recording attributed to the President.
He stated that the influencer should “face the weight of the law” for distributing what he called a fake audio, adding that the action amounted to “an egregious abuse of social media platforms.”
According to Onanuga, the audio content was manipulated and capable of misleading the public while damaging the image of the President.
He warned that spreading such unverified materials poses risks to public trust, national security, and democratic stability.
The spokesperson also stressed that individuals responsible for circulating false content should be held accountable under existing laws.
The controversy follows a viral audio clip posted by VDM, in which he claimed the recording featured President Tinubu discussing the country’s political situation, insecurity in the South-East, and strategies ahead of the 2027 elections.
Before playing the clip, VDM questioned viewers about its implications, asking whether Nigerians would still support the President after hearing it.
In the circulated recording, a voice alleged to be President Tinubu suggested that efforts to remove him from office would fail and implied he would not take actions against insecurity in the South-East due to political considerations.
The authenticity of the recording has been widely disputed, with government officials dismissing it as false and manipulated content.
