Social media activist VeryDarkMan has intensified his public clash with presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga, issuing a fresh response to the controversy surrounding a viral AI-generated video falsely linked to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The dispute began after a manipulated AI-generated clip circulated online, falsely portraying President Tinubu as admitting responsibility for Nigeria’s insecurity for political purposes ahead of the 2027 elections.
The video quickly sparked reactions across social media, prompting concerns about the growing use of artificial intelligence to create misleading political content.
Reacting to the clip, Onanuga condemned the recording as fake and misleading, warning that those responsible for spreading such content could face legal consequences. Reports also linked VeryDarkMan’s name to the controversy, sparking heated online exchanges.
After previously addressing the issue, the activist has now released another video in which he accused the presidential aide of unfairly targeting him and spreading false information about his involvement.
“It’s been over 24 hours since Bayo Onanuga, who unfortunately is the spokesperson of Bola Ahmed Tinubu, came out to spread false information about me in order to enable him have the opportunity to cage me,” VeryDarkMan said.
According to the activist, he believes personal hostility rather than facts drove the allegations against him.
“When I read that tweet he made, it was obvious it came from hate. In his mind, he believed that this boy don enter hand. Time don reach,” he alleged.
VeryDarkMan further criticised the presidential spokesperson for what he described as selective attention, arguing that numerous national issues receive little or no response from government officials despite attracting public concern.
“There are a lot of things wey don go viral about Nigeria wey him never put mouth,” he said.
The latest comments come just days after the activist publicly questioned why government officials appeared more focused on the AI-generateddaudio and video controversy than on ongoing security challenges affecting parts of the country.
His criticism has particularly centred on recent reports of kidnappings and attacks involving schoolchildren and teachers, issues he says deserve greater urgency from public officials.
The controversy also highlights the growing challenge posed by artificial intelligence-generated content in political discourse.
Across the world, governments, technology experts, and election observers have increasingly warned that deepfake videos and AI-generated recordings could become powerful tools for misinformation, especially during politically sensitive periods.
In Nigeria, concerns about manipulated digital content are expected to increase as conversations surrounding the 2027 elections gain momentum.
Supporters of VeryDarkMan argue that he is being unfairly blamed for content he did not create. At the same time, critics insist that public figures must be careful about amplifying controversial material online, regardless of its origin.
As the online confrontation continues, neither side appears willing to back down.
For now, the debate has moved beyond the authenticity of the AI-generated clip itself and evolved into a broader argument about misinformation, accountability, freedom of expression, and the government’s response to issues dominating public discourse.
With social media users closely following every development, the dispute between VeryDarkMan and Bayo Onanuga is rapidly becoming one of the most talked-about online political controversies of the week.
