Details: Akeredolu’s Wife, Betty Kicks Against Sidelining

Betty, the wife of the Governor of Ondo State Rotimi Akeredolu is kicking against the alleged sidelining of her office.

This development is the result of a recent happening.

Betty, according to a statement signed by her media aide – Debo Akinbami – is accusing the “state leadership” of the All Progressives Congress (APC) of not carrying her office along in the disbursement of a N25million support fund for the aged released by the office of the First Lady of Nigeria, Remi Tinubu.

This development is coming after her husband, Arakunrin Akeredolu transmitted power to Deputy Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa to allow him to properly care for his ailing health.

Aiyedatiwa took over the reins of power as the Acting Governor of Ondo state on Wednesday, December 13, 2023.

But more than a week later – on Friday, December 22, 2023, Akeredolu’s wife raised alarm over the sidelining of her office as the First Lady of Ondo State and disassociated herself from the disbursal of the N25m released for the support of the aged by Remi Tinubu.

” …as opposed to what obtains in other states of the federation where the governor’s wife represented the president’s wife to disburse the fund, neither Mrs Akeredolu nor her office was involved in the receipt and disbursal of the money meant for Ondo state, whereas the banner used for disbursement was emblazoned with her photograph to give false impression” the statement by her aide that she posted on her social media page stated in part.

And explained that ” the N25 Million naira was a portion of the N950m released to the elderly citizens (aged 65 and above in all 36 states) by Senator Oluremi Tinubu through the wives of the state governors under the Renewed Hope Initiative Elderly Support Scheme (RHIESS) expected to be implemented across all the states of the federation, the Federal Capital Territory and veterans from the Defence and Police Officers’ Wives Association (DEPOWA).”

Although she labeled the gesture by the President’s wife as a “commendable act of compassion for the aged”, Akeredolu’s wife described the action of the APC leaders in Ondo as “an act of sabotage, usurpation and deceit” according to the statement she shared on her social media page.

Added checks, however, revealed that Betty Akeredolu’s accusation of sidelining has raised questions about the role the Oluwaseun wife of acting governor Aiyedatiwa is expected to play in the scheme of things.

The development has sparked debates about who is really the First Lady of Ondo state with some arguing that since the position is premised on the status of the husband, the wife of the acting Governor is automatically the acting First Lady.