Senator Adams Oshiomhole has dismissed a viral video that appears to show him massaging a woman’s feet aboard a private jet, insisting the footage was fabricated using artificial intelligence.
The clip, which began circulating on social media on Tuesday, shows a man resembling the former Edo State governor chatting with a woman whose feet rest on his lap. It quickly drew widespread attention and reactions online.
The woman in the video was initially misidentified as Lara Fortes, wife of the senator representing Edo North. She was later identified as Leshaan Dagama, a South African lifestyle influencer and adult content creator. It was also alleged that Dagama briefly shared the video on her TikTok account before deleting it.
The footage sparked criticism of Oshiomhole, with some Nigerians describing the scene as inappropriate, particularly against the backdrop of the country’s economic challenges. Others used the moment to mock the senator over his recent remark suggesting that Nigerians were complaining because “food prices are becoming too cheap.”
Responding to the controversy, Oshiomhole’s media aide, Oseni Momodu, described the video as fake and “poorly crafted,” alleging it was generated with AI tools to damage the senator’s reputation. In a statement posted on Facebook, Momodu accused unnamed individuals of cyberbullying and said efforts were underway to trace the source and publishers of the clip.
According to the aide, a close review of the footage revealed inconsistencies that point to manipulation, particularly between the opening seconds and the remainder of the video. He urged the public and media organisations to disregard the clip and verify content before sharing, warning against the misuse of AI for misinformation and reputational attacks.
The media office also called for stricter regulation of social media platforms to curb the spread of manipulated content, while maintaining that Oshiomhole supports legitimate content creation.
Meanwhile, Dagama reacted via her Instagram story, deflecting criticism from herself and directing it at the senator. “Your senator is the problem. Go be mad at him, not me,” she wrote.
The controversy continues to generate debate online as questions persist over the authenticity of the video and the growing use of AI-generated content in political discourse.
