By Charles Pemu 
The South-South Zonal chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has issued a stern ultimatum to popular social media influencer Martins Vincent Otse, widely known as VeryDarkMan, demanding a formal apology to Senate President Godswill Akpabio for what it described as an unwarranted verbal assault.
In a statement released on Sunday by Blessing Agbomhere, the Zonal Organizing Secretary of the South-South APC, the party condemned the influencer’s recent viral video, where he harshly criticized Akpabio for leading a five-man federal government delegation to the Vatican to attend the funeral of Pope Francis.
VeryDarkMan had branded Akpabio’s presence at the Vatican as “shameful,” arguing that the Senate President should have prioritized condolence visits to Nigerian states grappling with violent crises, such as Benue, Plateau, Kwara, Ogun, and Enugu, rather than representing the country abroad.
Reacting strongly, Agbomhere accused VeryDarkMan of blurring the line between activism and slander, warning that persistent character assassination under the guise of social advocacy would not be tolerated.
“VeryDarkMan is fast becoming notorious for blackmail, slander, and character defamation while masquerading as a voice for the masses. His baseless attack on Nigeria’s number three citizen, who was officially nominated by President Bola Tinubu to lead the delegation to the Vatican, is not only unjustified but also damaging to the country’s global image,” Agbomhere stated.
The APC official further emphasized that President Tinubu’s choice of Akpabio was deliberate, highlighting the Senate President’s devout Catholic faith and impeccable character as qualities befitting a national representative at such a solemn international event.
Issuing a one-week deadline, Agbomhere insisted that VeryDarkMan must tender an “unreserved apology” to Akpabio and refrain from making further disparaging remarks against the Senate President or the Tinubu-led administration.
He urged Nigerians to dismiss what he termed the “uninformed ranting” of the social media figure, stressing that the administration is actively addressing the nation’s security challenges inherited from previous governments.
“Upon his return from official engagements abroad, President Tinubu immediately convened a high-level meeting with security chiefs, issuing new directives to combat insecurity more effectively. This is not the posture of a leader indifferent to the plight of his people,” the statement concluded.
Agbomhere also reminded citizens that the complex security issues facing Nigeria would not be solved overnight but reaffirmed the administration’s steadfast commitment to restoring peace and stability across the nation.