“Arrest VDM Now!” — Presidency Explodes Over Alleged Tinubu Audio Leak
By Passman Akpos
A fresh controversy has erupted between the Presidency and popular social media influencer, Martins Vincent Otse, widely known as VDM, following the circulation of an alleged audio recording purportedly linked to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, on Wednesday, May 27, 2026, condemned the recording, describing it as fake, dangerous, and a deliberate attempt to mislead Nigerians.
In a strongly worded statement, Onanuga accused VDM of abusing social media platforms by spreading fabricated content capable of damaging the image of the President and destabilising public trust.
“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 declared.
The controversy began after VDM posted a video online claiming he had obtained an audio recording allegedly featuring President Tinubu discussing Nigeria’s political climate, insecurity, and the 2027 presidential election.
While introducing the recording, the influencer questioned Nigerians’ continued support for the President ahead of the next general election
The controversial audio allegedly contained remarks suggesting that attempts to remove Tinubu from office would fail, while also making sensitive comments about insecurity in the South-East and borrowing from the World Bank.
In one section of the purported recording, the voice alleged to belong to the President reportedly stated that Nigerians “deserve” the hardship currently facing the country because many did not support his presidential ambition.
Another portion allegedly referenced former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, claiming he was asked to step down during the election period.
The recording also allegedly contained comments linking insecurity and foreign loans to political calculations ahead of future elections.
However, the Presidency has dismissed the entire audio as fabricated, insisting that the material was manipulated to deceive the public and inflame political tensions.
Onanuga warned that the spread of unverified and doctored content on social media poses a serious threat to national security, democratic stability, and public confidence in government institutions.
As of the time of filing this report, the Presidency had not confirmed whether formal legal proceedings would immediately be initiated against VDM.
Meanwhile, Martins Vincent Otse has yet to publicly respond to the allegations or Onanuga’s demand for legal action.
