Presidency calls for VDM’s prosecution over alleged Tinubu’s voice notes

On Wednesday, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, called for the prosecution of activist Martins “VeryDarkMan (VDM)” Otse, accusing him of disseminating a fake audio linked to the president.

However, the presidency’s call for VDM’s persecution over alleged AI-generated voice notes attributed to President Bola Tinubu appears to have been based on a manipulated video that did not originate from the activist’s original post.

PREMIUM TIMES findings showed that the viral clip circulating online was created after an unidentified individual extracted footage from VDM’s original Instagram video and inserted AI-generated voice notes resembling President Tinubu’s voice, creating the false impression that the activist shared the audio himself.

The reposted clip contained AI-generated voice notes falsely attributed to Mr Tinubu, including claims that he deliberately allowed insecurity to persist in parts of the country for political reasons.

The altered audio also falsely claimed that the president had asked former Anambra State governor Peter Obi to step down in his favour and threatened to worsen insecurity in the South-east.

However, this newspaper found that the viral clip did not originate from VDM’s original Instagram video posted on Tuesday.

In the original footage, the activist was reacting to comments made by content creator and philanthropist Mitchell “King Mitchy” Mukoro, who had alleged that his necklace was a charm and claimed he had visited a shrine.

While responding, VDM played an old campaign clip of Mr Tinubu speaking about electricity and governance ahead of the 2023 presidential election.

In the original campaign footage aired by TVC News, President Tinubu said Nigerians should not vote for him for a second term if he failed to deliver on his promises regarding electricity supply.

“Whichever way, by all means necessary, you must have electricity, and you won’t pay for estimated bills anymore. A promise made will be a promise kept. If I don’t keep my promise and I run for a second term, don’t vote for me. That’s the truth,” Mr Tinubu said in the original clip.

This newspaper further found that an unidentified individual later extracted portions of the original VDM video and superimposed AI-generated voice notes resembling Mr Tinubu’s voice before circulating the manipulated version online.

The edited clip retained the opening portion of VDM’s original video before switching to the fabricated AI-generated audio, creating the impression that the activist had shared or endorsed the recordings himself.

The manipulated clip subsequently circulated widely on social media and eventually prompted Mr Onanuga to call for the activist’s prosecution.

The incident has since sparked conversations online about the dangers of AI-generated misinformation and the speed with which manipulated political content can spread across social media platforms.

Several users on X questioned why the presidency moved quickly to call for the activist’s prosecution before independently verifying the authenticity and origin of the altered clip.

The controversy also highlights growing concerns about the increasing use of artificial intelligence tools to manipulate audio and video content featuring public officials, celebrities, and political figures.

Although the AI-generated audio circulated widely online, checks by this newspaper showed that the voice notes were not part of VDM’s original upload and appeared to have been added later by another individual.

The development has also reignited conversations around digital verification, misinformation and the responsibility of public officials to fact-check viral content before making public accusations or demands for prosecution.

At the time of filing this report, Mr Onanuga had not issued any clarification regarding the discovery that the manipulated audio did not originate from the activist’s original video.