The South-South Zonal Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has strongly condemned popular social media influencer Martins Vincent Otse, better known as VeryDarkMan, giving him a one-week ultimatum to apologise for his “disparaging” comments about Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
In a statement released on Sunday, the APC accused VeryDarkMan of crossing the line from activism into slander, particularly over his criticism of Akpabio’s leadership of a Nigerian delegation to Pope Francis’s funeral at the Vatican.
VeryDarkMan, in a three-minute viral video, had described Akpabio’s participation in the event as “shameful,” arguing that the Senate President should have instead been visiting states like Benue, Plateau, Kwara, Ogun, and Enugu, where recent violent attacks had claimed many lives.
Responding, a South-South APC leader condemned VeryDarkMan’s remarks, accusing him of repeatedly engaging in blackmail, slander, and character assassination under the guise of activism.
“VeryDarkMan is becoming notorious for his attacks on public figures while pretending to champion the cause of the masses,” the APC chieftain said. “The Senate President was nominated by President Tinubu to lead the delegation, and he carried out that duty with dignity. What is wrong with that?”
The statement emphasized that Akpabio, a devout Catholic and family man with an unblemished record, was a fitting representative of Nigeria at the Vatican, adding that President Tinubu entrusted him with the role based on his integrity.
“I am hereby issuing VeryDarkMan a one-week ultimatum to tender an unreserved apology to Senate President Akpabio for the slanderous remarks and to refrain from further tarnishing the image of the Tinubu-led administration before the international community,” he warned.
Continuing, the APC leader urged Nigerians to disregard the “uninformed rantings” of the social media influencer, stressing that the current administration was working diligently behind the scenes to address the country’s security challenges — problems it inherited from previous governments.
He added, “Upon returning from France and the UK, President Tinubu met with security chiefs, giving them strict orders to adopt a new approach in tackling insecurity. Does that sound like a man who is unserious about the safety of Nigerians?
“The complex security issues facing the nation cannot be solved overnight. It takes time, and President Tinubu remains committed to restoring peace, just as he promised Nigerians at the start of his administration.”
