Former First Lady of Oyo State, Dr. (Mrs.) Florence Ajimobi, has distanced herself from a viral video circulating on social media in which she was purportedly heard and seen making comments about the 2027 Oyo State governorship election, describing the footage as a malicious fabrication generated with artificial intelligence.
In an official statement issued on Saturday through her spokesperson, Dr. Ajimobi categorically denied making the statements attributed to her in the video, stressing that the content is a deepfake designed to mislead the public and stoke political tension ahead of the next election cycle.
According to the statement, a digital forensic analysis conducted on the footage confirmed that the video is synthetic, with advanced AI technology used to manipulate both her voice and lip movements to convey a script she never uttered.
“This video is not only false but deliberately created to mislead the public and generate political tension ahead of the 2027 elections,” the statement said. “At no time did Dr. (Mrs.) Florence Ajimobi make such comments, either privately or publicly.”
The former First Lady’s office described the incident as a troubling example of the growing weaponisation of artificial intelligence in politics, warning that such deceptive content poses a serious threat to democratic discourse and public trust.
The statement noted that experts have long cautioned that generative AI tools could be exploited to impersonate public figures, manufacture controversial statements and influence public opinion, particularly as Nigeria moves closer to another general election.
“This is a clear case of synthetic deception,” the statement added. “The impersonation of public figures through AI-generated content sets a dangerous precedent and undermines the integrity of our democratic processes.”
Dr. Ajimobi also used the opportunity to urge members of the public, media organisations and security agencies to exercise caution and verify the authenticity of political content before sharing or amplifying it.
“In an era where digital manipulation is becoming increasingly sophisticated, it is vital that all stakeholders verify the source and credibility of inflammatory content before distribution,” the statement read.
She reaffirmed her commitment to truth, responsible civic engagement and the democratic process, while warning that her office would not hesitate to pursue legal action against those responsible for creating and deliberately circulating the fraudulent video.
“We reserve all legal rights to seek redress against the creators and intentional distributors of this malicious and misleading media,” the statement concluded.
Credit: newsense.ng
