Oshiomhole Calls Jet Video Fake, Blames AI Deepfake
The Oshiomhole viral private jet video controversy took a dramatic turn on Wednesday as Senator Adams Oshiomhole publicly dismissed the trending footage as a fabricated Artificial Intelligence creation, insisting it was designed to damage his reputation. The Senator representing Edo North and former Governor of Edo State described the widely circulated clip showing him aboard a luxury jet receiving a foot massage as a deliberate deepfake manipulation.
Breaking his silence amid mounting public backlash, Oshiomhole said the video was not only false but part of a coordinated political smear campaign. He stressed that advances in artificial intelligence have made it dangerously easy to create realistic but entirely fabricated videos capable of misleading the public.
In a statement released by his media team, the Senator labelled the footage a malicious digital fabrication orchestrated by political opponents. According to the statement, the clarity, movement, and visual detail in the clip are consistent with modern generative AI tools now commonly used to produce deceptive content involving public figures.
Oshiomhole categorically denied knowing or having any relationship with the woman seen in the footage. He also rejected claims that he has ever engaged in such conduct during official or private travel, describing the narrative as both false and defamatory.
His aides highlighted several factors they believe support the deepfake claim. They pointed to perceived inconsistencies in lighting, body proportions, and skin texture within the clip, arguing that these are common indicators of AI manipulation. They also questioned the timing of the video’s release, noting that it coincided with heightened political activity and sensitive legislative engagements.
The Senator has reportedly engaged cybersecurity and digital forensic experts to trace the source of the video and identify those responsible for what he termed a calculated act of digital character assassination. Legal action, his team says, is under active consideration.
Complicating the controversy, the South African woman identified online as the female companion in the video has fueled further debate without directly confirming or denying the clip’s authenticity. In a series of social media posts, she dismissed critics and mocked what she described as excessive public fixation on her private life. Her comments, perceived by many Nigerians as provocative, intensified online outrage amid ongoing economic hardship in the country.
Public reaction remains sharply divided. While some supporters accept the Senator’s explanation and warn against the dangers of AI-driven misinformation, others remain skeptical. Several digital analysts have argued that proving a deepfake requires verifiable metadata or forensic evidence rather than verbal denial alone. Critics say the growing use of AI denials risks becoming a convenient escape route for public figures, a phenomenon experts refer to as the liar’s dividend.
Across social media platforms, debates continue to rage over the authenticity of the video. Supporters praise Oshiomhole for addressing the issue directly, while opponents point to similarities between the aircraft interior in the footage and private jets frequently linked to Nigerian political elites.
READ ALSO: Nigerian Law School Endorses PUSG Scholarship
As Oshiomhole debunks the viral private jet video, the episode underscores a defining challenge of modern politics: navigating public accountability in an era where artificial intelligence can blur the line between reality and fabrication. Whether the video proves to be a sophisticated deepfake or not, it has ignited a national conversation about digital ethics, misinformation, and the vulnerability of public trust.
For now, Senator Oshiomhole says his focus remains on legislative responsibilities, even as his legal and technical teams prepare to confront those behind the controversial footage.