There has been, for a long spell now, a running battle between Betty Anyanwu Akeredolu, the widow of former governor of Ondo State, late Rotimi Akeredolu, and the current governor of the state, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa. There has been no love lost between these two. The animosity that exists between them has been on even before Akeredolu passed away and, from the look of things, the conflict is not looking like disappearing anytime soon.
Despite concerted efforts from party chieftains and elders within their camps, there does not seem to be any reconciliation in sight. If anything, the bitterness between them, just seems o be getting stronger by the day. With these two, there is always palpable tension whenever the slimmest of reason is bringing them together.
One of the most notable recent instances of this tension surfaced when Betty openly criticized the state’s planned memorial lecture for her late husband, Rotimi Akeredolu.
Although the event was intended to honor his memory, Betty expressed strong disapproval, claiming her family had not been involved in the planning. Her comments on social media, where she labeled the event as a “419” scheme and accused Aiyedatiwa of using her husband’s legacy for personal gain, highlighted the clear rift between the two.
Betty’s dismissal of the memorial lecture as “propaganda” and her refusal to acknowledge its significance show her dissatisfaction with Aiyedatiwa’s actions, even in matters meant to celebrate her late husband.
However, this incident is just one of many that reflect Betty’s antagonistic stance toward Aiyedatiwa. The roots of their strained relationship can be traced back to the internal family and political conflicts that surfaced during Rotimi Akeredolu’s illness.
It is widely believed that Betty felt a sense of betrayal, especially from those within her family and political circle who supported Aiyedatiwa during this time. Betty’s harsh criticism of her late husband’s niece, Funke Akeredolu Aruna, for supporting Aiyedatiwa in the governorship primaries, calling her a “bloody serpent,” revealed the depth of the divisions within the family. This personal conflict, intertwined with political ambitions, has likely contributed to Betty’s ongoing tension with Aiyedatiwa.
Despite Aiyedatiwa’s rise to the governorship being a natural political transition, Betty’s public reaction suggests that she may view his ascension as a challenge to her late husband’s legacy. The emotional weight of losing her husband, compounded by what she perceives as a betrayal by those who supported Aiyedatiwa, may have shaped her negative stance toward him. In her eyes, Aiyedatiwa’s actions, particularly his political rise, may not have been in line with the respect she believes her husband deserved.
It is important to note that Betty’s behavior toward Aiyedatiwa has not been exclusively about his actions as governor. Her criticisms appear to stem from a broader sense of personal and political betrayal. The friction between the two is not just political but deeply rooted in personal matters and family dynamics, which makes it difficult to pinpoint a singular reason for Betty’s deep-seated hatred for Aiyedatiwa.
But it all dates back to last year before Akeredolu bowed to the ailment that ultimately took his life. Both Akeredolu and Aiyedatiwa had been having a terribly strained relationship. There was plans, initiated by the late governor, to impeach the then deputy governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa. The Ondo House of Assembly was indeed poised to activate the impeachment process, but the party elders intervened and the impeachment plan was halted. A relieved Aiyedatiwa had to publicly issue an apology to his late principal and assured him of his total loyalty and commitment to his administration.
Addressing journalists in his office in Akure, Aiyedatiwa said that he was saddened by the embarrassment and discomfort the governor had faced due to the barrage of negative news in the state as a result of his absence in the last few months. At the time, the media was awash with reports that the State House of Assembly had moved to impeach the deputy governor leading to various interest groups taking sides for and against the move.
The Deputy Governor, who pledged his loyalty to the governor and commitment to the development of the state, said that his action was to calm the furore in order to restore peace and tranquillity to the state. Aiyedatiwa said there had never been any issue between him and Mr Akeredolu adding that at no time did he undermine the authority of the governor.
He added that some political actors had only taken advantage of Akeredolu’s absence to create a nonexistent crisis for their selfish interest.
“I am profoundly grateful to Mr governor for his intervention and role in persuading the distinguished members of the Ondo State House of Assembly to embrace the political solution offered by our great party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), in the face of an impeachment move against me.
“Our beloved state has witnessed a series of events triggered by the health challenges faced by Mr Governor, which gave rise to misunderstandings, misconceptions, assumptions, and insinuations, and exploited by political contenders preparing for the upcoming 2024 gubernatorial election.
“The recent impeachment attempt by the House of Assembly and the ensuing reactions have further created division and chaos, with my loyalty to Mr Governor being questioned. “It is with reference to the above that I hereby tender my unreserved apologies to Mr Governor and the good people of Ondo State, and I assure that, together, we will both complete this journey with honour, divine guidance and in good health by the grace of God,” he said.
Mr Aiyedatiwa denied all the allegations being peddled against him by those he described as “desperate to get rid of him from government ahead of the next election”. He pledged to continue to maintain decorum in the face of the accusations and called on all political actors to allow peace to reign in the state for the people to enjoy the dividends of democracy.
“We have continued to read all sorts of lies against my person in the media. None of it is true. There has never been any issue between Mr Governor and myself and I have never undermined Mr Governor. “This is a fabricated crisis just for the purpose of election.
“I remain fully committed to the principles of good governance that Mr Governor has established, and I pledge my unwavering loyalty to him and I will continue to submit myself under his able, courageous and selfless leadership,” Mr Aiyedatiwa said.
He thanked the national leadership of the APC for its intervention in stopping the impeachment move against him, pledging his commitment to the reconciliation efforts aimed at restoring peace in the state. “I have a lot of respect for the Speaker and members of the House of Assembly and members of the State Executive Council and I do not hold any grudge.”
Despite this public apology, nothing really changed. If Akeredolu forgave Aiyedatiwa like he claims his former boss did, the wife, Betty Akeredolu, did not forgive him. She was up in arms with him and anyone from her camp who associated with the former deputy governor. This is why she was bitter with her late husband’s niece for supporting Aiyedatiwa months leading to the last Ondo governorship elections.
Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu described her late husband’s niece, Funke Akeredolu Aruna, as shameless for supporting the sitting governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, ahead of the November governorship election in the state.
Betty had spoken through her Instagram account. Speaking through her post alongside the picture of her husband’s niece wearing a cap with an inscription “I am lucky”, Betty said, “Behold the face of Aketi’s niece, Funke Akeredolu Aruna, the former deputy chief protocol to Aketi, shamelessly parades as ‘I am lucky’ Bloody serpent! Time will tell if she is truly lucky!”
This outburst, however, generated outrage on social media as many believe she should’ve been mourning her husband and not engaging in a fight with anyone.But Betty was too bitter to thik through her outburst properly. And between then and till date, there has been no slowing down for Betty, she is forever on the war path with the governor. As it is, there is no end in sight
– WALE LAWAL
(08037209290)
