Popular Nigerian activist and social media personality, Martins Vincent Otse, widely known as VeryDarkMan, has reacted to the seven-day ultimatum issued by the All Progressives Congress, demanding an apology for his comments about Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
The controversy began after VeryDarkMan criticised Akpabio’s recent trip to the Vatican City for the funeral of Pope Francis.
He described the visit as “shameful,” especially amid the ongoing insecurity in Nigeria.
Responding to the APC’s demands, the outspoken critic said that apologies should be directed at ordinary Nigerians who are suffering the consequences of poor governance, rather than at politicians.
In a video shared on Instagram, he expressed his concern over the deteriorating security situation in the country and called for more empathy and responsibility from leaders.
“I want to apologise to the people of Benue, Jos, Kwara, Enugu, Edo State… those who have been victims of insurgency and insecurity. They are the ones who deserve an apology, not these politicians,” he said. He lamented that while political leaders attend ceremonies abroad, citizens are being killed, kidnapped, and displaced without adequate government intervention.
VeryDarkMan clarified that his comments about Akpabio were not intended as a personal attack. He acknowledged that some people had advised him to issue an apology due to the sensitivity of the issue.
“After thinking about it, I realised I did not actually plan to insult him or make him feel some type of way. If he feels offended, and they request an apology, then it’s fine,” he stated.
However, he insisted that the real offense lies in the neglect and suffering endured by Nigerians, saying, “People are dying every day. Farmers are being killed on their land, yet leaders are boarding private jets for events that add no value to Nigerians.”
In a bold counter to the APC’s ultimatum, the activist gave the federal government a seven-day deadline to address the growing insecurity in parts of the country, particularly in Benue, Jos, Kwara, and Enugu.
“I want to give you people seven days to climb down on all these attacks happening in Benue, Jos, and other states,” he declared. He warned that if the government failed to act, he would continue to speak out and expose leadership failures.
VeryDarkMan also used the opportunity to criticise some media outlets, accusing them of twisting his words to tarnish his image.
He urged journalists not to allow themselves to be manipulated by political interests. “Don’t allow yourselves to be used to push propaganda. I’m here because of passion for my country, not because of money,” he said.
