Activist lawyer Marshal Abubakar has called on the Presidency to sanction President Bola Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, over comments linking social media activist Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), to a viral fake audio allegedly featuring the president.
In a statement made available to journalists on Friday, Abubakar accused Onanuga of spreading false information and making inflammatory remarks through a post shared on X on May 27.
The lawyer argued that the presidential aide’s actions embarrassed the government and amounted to an attack on free expression.
The controversy began after a viral audio surfaced online, allegedly capturing President Tinubu discussing insecurity in the South-east, World Bank loans and his chances of winning a second term.
Reacting to the clip, Onanuga dismissed it as fake and suggested VDM should face legal consequences for allegedly circulating it.
“This VDM needs to face the weight of the law for being the conveyor and disseminator of a fake audio of President Tinubu,” Onanuga wrote on his verified X account, describing the incident as a serious abuse of social media.
But VDM, through his lawyers at Deji Adeyanju & Partners, denied any involvement in creating or sharing the recording.
The legal team insisted that a simple check of his verified social media accounts would have shown he neither posted nor circulated the audio.
Abubakar backed that position, accusing Onanuga of rushing to judgment and attempting to discredit critics of the Tinubu administration.
He said the presidential aide should be held accountable for what he described as false and reckless claims.
“Mr Onanuga must face the consequences of circulating and authenticating falsehood spread electronically against the very government and people he was employed to defend,” Abubakar stated.
The lawyer said it was troubling to see someone with a history of pro-democracy activism adopt what he described as a hostile approach toward dissent.
“Despite his pro-democracy credentials as a former NADECO leader, it is sad to see Mr Bayo Onanuga evolve from a fearless critic of dictatorship into a defender of one of the worst governments in the country’s history,” he said.
Abubakar maintained that Nigerians have a constitutional right to criticise government policies and demand political change, even when such views make those in power uncomfortable.
He cited legal authorities, including Redmond-Bate v DPP, IGP v ANPP and Arthur Nwankwo v The State, arguing that freedom of expression protects speech that may be controversial or offensive, as long as it does not incite violence.
The lawyer also referenced previous remarks credited to Onanuga, including his 2023 comments about “Igbo interference in Lagos politics,” describing them as divisive and potentially problematic under the Cybercrimes Act.
Among his demands, Abubakar urged the Presidency to publicly distance itself from Onanuga’s remarks and impose appropriate sanctions.
He added that VDM reserves the right to seek civil remedies over the matter.
As of the time of filing this report, neither Onanuga nor the Presidency had responded to the latest allegations.
The dispute comes amid growing concern over AI-generated misinformation and manipulated political content online. Nigerian authorities have repeatedly warned about the dangers posed by fake audio and video materials designed to mislead the public.
