VeryDarkMan, a social media influencer, whose real name is Martins Otse has apologized to human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, over his recent defamatory comment against the senior lawyer. Appearing before the House of Representatives Joint Committee on Financial Crimes and Reformatory Institutions on Monday, VeryDarkMan said he also did not believe Falana was involved in the alleged bribery leveled against crossdresser, Idris Okuneye, popularly known as Bobrisky, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Nigeria Correctional Service. He said, “Apparently, now, some people are taking advantage of what is going to target Femi Falana. “Here, I apologize. It’s so sad that his name was inside that audio. I couldn’t believe as well; that is the part that irritated me more when I said I refuse to believe that he is a party to something like that.” VeryDarkMan also urged rapper Falz to come and join hands with him to fight the corruption in Nigeria. In a post shared on his Instagram page, VDM said if Falz saw the “nonsense” going on at the House of Representatives investigative panel, he would drop the lawsuit he filed against him. In his words: “@falzthebahdguy if you see the nonzenze when Dey go on here you go drop lawsuit make we focus on the bad eggs when wan kpai country them don dey cast themselves here? Don’t get it twisted your father na my father in the struggle,,,if you were here you will understand,I no go defame baba FF Bless up, MAN TO MAN GOD BLESS YOU.” VDM accompanied the post with a caption explaining that Falz’s father, Femi Falana, remains his father in the struggle. He wrote: “I wish everyone is here to see how bad corruption has eaten deep into our system @falzthebahdguy is not about us na EFCC AND CORRECTIONAL CENTRE, YOUR FATHER FEMI FALANA REMAINS OUR FATHER IN THE STRUGGLE..much love.” Recall that Falz and his father, Femi Falana (SAN) threatened to sue VDM for defamation of character after the social critic shared an audio conversation purportedly between Bobrisky and another man in which it was alleged that Falana was working on helping Bobrisky secure a presidential pardon and had asked for 10 million Naira to complete the job. VeryDarkMan shared a video online on Tuesday wherein Bobrisky claimed she bribed some EFCC officials with N15,000,000 to drop the money laundering charges against her. The commission then invited VeryDarkMan and Bobrisky over bribery allegations against its officials. Ola Olukoyede, the EFCC chairman, also ordered an immediate investigation into the allegations. But on Wednesday, the crossdresser described the viral recording as “fake,” arguing that she did not pay any amount to the anti-graft agency. Bobrisky also insisted that she served her term in prison. Falz also confirmed a part of VeryDarkMan’s claims in a warning letter to the activist. In a letter demanding the activist to retract his allegation, Falz claimed the crossdresser called him to seek the financial assistance of “N3 million to pay some officials to get a VIP prison section” — which he declined. In his reaction, VeryDarkMan, through Deji Adeyanju, his legal representative, denied putting out a defamatory statement against the human rights lawyer. The activist clarified that releasing the voice recordings was to prompt a thorough investigation into Bobrisky’s allegations, not to defame Falana. He stressed that he holds Falana in high esteem for his human rights activism in Nigeria and believes an investigation is necessary instead of pursuing defamation charges.
