Controversial social media critic and activist, Martin Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), has fired back at Arise News Channel breakfast show anchor, Dr Reuben Abati, for comparing him to controversial singer, Habeeb Okikiola, a.k.a. Portable, over his efforts at attracting attention to the plight of trafficked Nigerian girls.
VDM’s reactions followed Abati’s recent comments during the Arise News morning show where he related VeryDarkMan’s efforts to raise awareness on human trafficking to Portable’s unchecked enthusiasm over issues on social media.
Abati said during that show, “About VeryDarkMan, Martin Otse, I appreciate his enthusiasm. It’s almost like Portable getting excited over many things. That’s Habib Okikiola, who now says he wants to fight Anthony Joshua.”
But, VDM responded in a strongly worded video, accusing the TV journalist of hypocrisy and questioning his moral authority to mock his efforts.
“Dr. Reuben Abati, it’s the fact that you think that you have the moral ground to talk about VeryDarkMan to the point where you want to water down my efforts in order to create awareness surrounding the trafficking issue by comparing me with Portable. You think you have the moral ground abi, you thought we have forgotte,” he said.
VeryDarkMan featured an old picture referencing Abati’s 2016 arrest by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) during the investigation into the mismanagement of public funds under former President Goodluck Jonathan’s regime
“Is this not you in EFCC cell, see your belle, see as you dey, you and Fani-Kayode and co, see una, why did they take you to EFCC? You once had an opportunity to turn things around in the country but what did you do, let’s leave what you did. Lets go to why you were arrested,” he said.
Citing a report by a national daily, VDM reminded viewers that Abati was linked to the $2.1 billion arms deal scandal involving the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) under Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd).
According to the EFCC, “Abati voluntarily appeared at the agency’s headquarters in Abuja to answer questions regarding his role in the alleged diversion of national resources.”
VDM continued, “So you see where they carry your name go. No matter how you try to water down me, you can never tag me. The EFCC can never pick me for fraud, even the Portable wey you dey try pair me with. They can never pick Portable for fraud.”
He also accused Abati of being a tribal bigot, citing a 2022 incident involving the Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa. In that case, Dabiri-Erewa had called a social media user an “Ode” in response to backlash over the treatment of Nigerian students in India.
VeryDarkMan claimed Abati defended Dabiri-Erewa on Arise News, saying, “You did it in 2022; that’s why I’m responding to you… I no know how you take get Dr on your name.”
He played a video of a 2022 broadcast by Arise News Channel’s Ojy Okpe where the Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, was reacting to the attack of Nigerian students in an institution in Delhi on October 17, 2022, used the abusive word “Ode”, which is a Yoruba word for a foolish person.
During the broadcast, Abati commented, “It is a matter of perspective. There is a lot of abuse on Twitter. What Abike Dabiri did, I thought was in order. When that incident occurred Friday and Saturday in that University in Gujarat, India, as a result of a football match and then differences between Nigerians and the Indian students, she put out a statement… The Nigerian mission engaged the Indian and School authorities, and got concrete assurance that the situation will be handled.”
VeryDarkMan took a final swipe, saying, “Don’t try to open your mouth in that Arise station and talk about me. If you want to talk, let me come to your station. Let’s talk about you and what you did with the money that they alleged you stole… Reuben Abathief — sorry Abati, continue kissing ass.”
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