Martins Vincent Otse, better known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), has branded President Bola Tinubu’s administration as “the worst thing that has ever happened to Nigeria.”
The outburst comes as fuel prices nationwide have surged above ₦1,000 per liter, exacerbating the country’s ongoing economic hardships and drawing sharp criticism from citizens grappling with inflation and rising living costs.
VDM, a self-styled anti-corruption crusader with a massive following on platforms like X (formerly Twitter), where he operates under the handle @Verydarkman_, unleashed his frustration in a recent video post. Reacting to the latest fuel price hikes, which have seen pump prices climb to between ₦1,000 and ₦1,300 per liter in various regions due to global crude oil volatility and Middle East conflicts, he accused the government of deceit and mismanagement.
“Fuel price hits over 1000 naira per liter. President Bola Tinubu is the worst thing that has ever happened to Nigeria,” VDM declared. “They lied, they stole, and they want to continue stealing. President Tinubu is a failure. At the point where you took us from, it was much better than this.”
The criticism echoes VDM’s earlier warnings from early 2023, before Tinubu’s inauguration, when he predicted that the removal of fuel subsidies would serve as a pretext for further corruption.
In his latest rant, shared widely on X and viewed thousands of times, VDM referenced those prophecies: “Now imagine a place where Bola Ahmed Tinubu picks everybody from… imagine where we are today. I said it then that with this subsidy thing, they were actually looking for the best means to steal. It was even better when they were paying for the subsidy; at least there was a budget of money meant for the benefit of Nigerians.”
Nigeria’s fuel subsidy regime, a longstanding policy that kept petrol prices artificially low, was abruptly dismantled by President Tinubu on his first day in office in May 2023.
The move was hailed by some as a bold reform to curb fiscal waste, with the government claiming it saved over ₦1 trillion in the first two months alone and over $84 billion in total, redirecting funds toward infrastructure like road projects.
However, critics argue it was implemented too hastily, without adequate safety nets, leading to immediate price spikes—from around ₦200 per litre pre-removal to over ₦600 initially—and a cascade of economic fallout.
Recent escalations have been fueled by external factors, including the ongoing war involving the United States, Israel, and Iran, which has driven global crude prices above $90 per barrel.
VDM’s critique extended beyond fuel to broader systemic failures under Tinubu’s watch, particularly in education. He lambasted the government’s handling of scholarships, pointing to reports of Nigerian students stranded abroad.
“Till tomorrow we still dey cry say our public schools are failing the children, dey give scholarship in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s regime plenty of them dey for Morocco stranded dey cry,” he said. “Education sector don fall, everything they collected money for e don fall. So, where is the money for the subsidy that they removed? This is the most corrupt government in the history of the Nigerian government.”
These allegations align with recent controversies surrounding the Bilateral Education Agreement (BEA) scholarships, a program funding Nigerian students in countries like Morocco, Russia, and China.
In January 2026, reports emerged of around 1,600 scholars facing eviction, hunger, and unpaid stipends, with some in Morocco describing dire conditions, including threats from landlords and inability to afford necessities.
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) raised alarms, demanding urgent repatriation and support, while opposition figure Atiku Abubakar accused the Tinubu administration of abandonment.
The federal government dismissed claims of outright neglect, insisting payments are being processed and no new awards are being issued under policy shifts, but affected students continue to plead for intervention.
Wrapping up his message with an ominous warning, VDM suggested that the government’s tactics, such as potential internet shutdowns amid unrest, could unravel deeper issues: “Everything I said has come to pass. When people doubt me, look at it now. Na the same go shut down the internet; na that time Nigerians go know say problem dey o wey you no dey see.”
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
VeryDarkMan’s blistering attack captures a growing national sentiment: President Tinubu’s abrupt removal of fuel subsidies—intended as fiscal reform—has driven petrol prices past ₦1,000 per liter, worsened inflation, deepened poverty, and failed to deliver promised benefits to ordinary Nigerians.
