Senator Ned Nwoko has rejected the apology issued by the young TikToker who falsely accused him of plotting to harm his wife, Nollywood actress Regina Daniels, insisting that the matter goes far beyond a simple “sorry.”
The Delta North lawmaker said the incident proves that Nigeria is now operating “one of the most unregulated social media spaces in the world,” where people make dangerous allegations purely for clout and escape accountability.
Reacting to the apology, Nwoko said the viral incident has strengthened his resolve to push for the controversial social media regulation bill currently before the National Assembly.
In his statement, he wrote:
“The accompanying video trended a couple of days ago. It is testament to the fact that Nigerian social media space has become one of the most unregulated in the world. Laying very serious allegations has become a common trait to attract millions of views without recourse to the damaging effects on the people involved.”
The senator stressed that the situation “clearly justifies the urgent need for the social media bill,” which seeks to mandate foreign tech platforms to register and set up offices in Nigeria so they can be held accountable for defamatory or criminal content.
He further maintained that an apology from the content creator is far from adequate.
According to him:
“You can’t lie to make money and turn around to apologize after criminally defaming and hurting people.”
Nwoko also argued that tech platforms should no longer operate freely without regulatory oversight, saying stronger laws would help with job creation, tax compliance, and easier tracking of online criminal activity.
He warned that anyone could become the next victim of baseless online attacks:
“It’s Senator Ned today, who knows who is next?”
The senator urged the public to support legal measures that promote accountability on social media, emphasizing that the trend of weaponizing online content for views must no longer be tolerated.