The All Progressives Congress (APC) has asked social influencer Martins Vincent Otse, otherwise known as VeryDarkMan, to apologise within seven days over what it described as disparaging comments against Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
In a viral video, VeryDarkMan opined that despite the insecurity rocking the country, the Senate President ought not to have travelled to Rome. He noted that Akpabio should have been paying condolence visits to Benue, Plateau, Kwara, Ogun, Enugu, and other states currently bedevilled by killings.
According to him, the Senate President lacked the moral standing to attend the Pope’s funeral when he ought to be consoling communities affected by violence across the country.
Reacting, however, the South-South Zonal chapter of the APC on Sunday gave the popular social media influencer one week to tender an apology to the Senate President.
It condemned VeryDarkMan for his comments.
The warning was contained in a statement issued in Abuja by the Zonal Organizing Secretary of the South-South APC, Blessing Agbomhere.
The statement by the APC read, “VeryDarkMan is becoming notorious for blackmail, slander, and character assassination while pretending to be an advocate for the masses and a social crusader.
“The unwarranted verbal attack on the number three citizen of Nigeria, who did not send himself to Rome but was duly nominated by the President to lead a delegation to represent Nigeria — what exactly is wrong with that?
“Upon his return from France and the UK, Tinubu met with the security chiefs, and during the meeting, he gave them marching orders to ensure that a different approach is deployed in the fight against insecurity. Does this sound like a man who is not serious about protecting the lives and property of Nigerians?”
According to the South South APC, the “complex security problems in the country cannot be wished away with a wave of the hand”.
SaharaReporters earlier reported that Akpabio would lead a high-level Nigerian delegation to attend the funeral of Pope Francis in Vatican City on Saturday.
This was confirmed in a statement released Friday by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to President Tinubu.
The delegation comprised five members, including Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu Ojukwu; President of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, Archbishop Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji; Archbishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Hassan Kukah; and Archbishop of Abuja Diocese, Ignatius Ayua Kaigama.
Onanuga stated, “The delegation will formally deliver a letter conveying President Tinubu’s sympathy and condolences on Pope Francis’ passing to the Acting Head of the Vatican.”
He recalled that President Tinubu had earlier joined the global Christian community in mourning the pontiff’s death, calling him “a humble servant of God, a tireless champion of the poor, and a guiding light for millions.”
Pope Francis died on April 21, 2025, at the age of 88, just a day after leading Easter Sunday celebrations at St. Peter’s Basilica.
In his tribute, President Tinubu noted that the timing of the Pope’s death, immediately following the celebration of Christ’s resurrection, “symbolises a sacred return to his Maker, offering renewed hope to Christians worldwide.”
