PDP Crisis: Viral Video About Me Is AI Manipulated, Says Senator Onor
By Judex Okoro
Former Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate in Cross River State, Prof Sandy Onor, has dismissed a viral video circulating on social media, describing it as an AI manipulated fabrication that should be ignored.
Senator Onor, who represented Cross River Central in the Ninth National Assembly, said Nigeria’s social media environment has become heavily polluted with misinformation. He cautioned the public, especially unsuspecting consumers of online content, to be wary of material shared on unverified platforms.
Speaking in Calabar during a dinner held in honour of Prof David Imbua, who delivered the one hundred and fifty first inaugural lecture of the University of Calabar, Onor expressed concern that the arrival of advanced artificial intelligence tools has worsened the spread of fake news. He said mischief makers now deploy technology to distort events and mislead the public.
He explained that many of the videos trending about the incident at the National Secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party were compromised and should not be taken seriously. He specifically refuted a video suggesting that he was slapped during a fracas at the PDP secretariat on Tuesday, noting that he had already left the premises before the disturbance began.
“The social media space is hugely polluted by people who are mischievously ignorant and by some very intelligent young people,” he said. “It is a place that can mislead you and it is also a place that can teach you. With AI now, they can do wonders. But in this case, I was no longer at the secretariat when the fight broke out.”
Onor also praised the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, saying he deserves national support for what he described as the remarkable transformation of Abuja. According to him, no previous minister has matched Wike’s pace of development.
“He always performs well wherever he finds himself. I respect him a lot,” he added.
Reflecting on the inaugural lecture, Onor described Prof Imbua as his mentee and commended his intellectual growth and contributions to the University of Calabar.
“I am delighted to see him grow into an intellectual hero,” he said. “People often assume loyalty is one sided. It is not. When followers are loyal to their leaders, leaders must also be loyal to their followers.”
