Kennedy Ikantu Peretei, Ondo State PDP Publicity Secretary says the recent outburst by the first lady of the State, Mrs Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, in a viral voice note, is an affirmation of his earlier stand that there is massive looting of the State’s treasury by people in government.
Peretei, in an opinion written on Monday, titled, BETTY AKEREDOLU: AGONY OF A FRUSTRATED FIRST LADY, however urged Mrs Bunmi Ademosu, who was alleged of looting by the first lady in the viral voice note, to come clean and tell the people of the State, her own side of the story.
The full opinion is reproduced below:
A viral audio supposedly emanating from Betty Akeredolu, wife of Ondo State Governor has not been disowned by the First Lady’s media team, more than 12 hours after the social media space got over saturated with the sound bite.
Given Mrs Akeredolu’s usual combativeness and aggression, one can only sympathise with her especially on the frustration she expressed in the 2minutes 39 seconds voice note.
The fact that, she personally planted the audio on a platform she assumed the recipient of the message was, made it all the more pitiable.
From the beginning to the end, Mrs Akeredolu appeared more like what in Nigerian parlance is referred to as “wailer”, with one Mrs Olubunmi Ademosun who she accused of scheming to be Deputy Governor, if per chance, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu is unable to complete his tenure.
To start with, no human being is granted the ability to see tomorrow. In the words of Shakespeare, “death will come, when it will come”, so nobody should be making any calculations based on the possibility of another’s death. Because, indeed, we do not know who will go first.
Having said that, perhaps, it may be important to x-ray Mrs Akeredolu’s apprehension, abuses and her final advice for Ademosun.
First, Betty is not sure that, the concoctions Ademosun is bringing for her husband from ” fake” Pastors is the way to go. Her belief in God and Western medicine are unshakable, and that Aketi will be healed. He does not need Ademosun’s intervention. Betty also issued a threat to deal with Ademosun, relying on her Igbo ancestry.
As far as Betty is concerned, Ademosun has nothing upstairs as to aspire to be Deputy Governor of Ondo State.
After advising Ademosun to leave Aketi alone, Betty dropped the bombshell” to go and enjoy her loot”.
Mrs. Akeredolu is not just any woman. She is the wife of the Governor. For her to openly admit that an appointee of her husband’s government looted Ondo State Treasury should not be dismissed with the wave of the hand.
Since Rotimi Akeredolu assumed office as Governor, his wife Betty, her son Babajide have been on a looting spree. Many people doubted this fact. Will they also doubt Betty’s public confession of looting?
Mrs Olubunmi Ademosun is Special Adviser to the Governor on Intergovernmental Relations. She is also the Ondo State Liaison Officer in Abuja. She has offices both in Abuja and Akure. That, she is very powerful in the government of Akeredolu is not a matter for debate. There are so many persons who received Akeredolu’s blessings based on Ademosun’s recommendation. In a like manner, there are many who were denied party tickets for 2023 general election, simply because they are not in the good books of Ademosun.
Majority of those who suffered Ademosun’s larger than life image with Akeredolu were very happy with Betty’s outburst and that explained why the audio went viral.
It is an open secret that, the Governor and Ademosun are in very good terms. But the sense in which Betty is asking Ademosun to leave her husband alone was not captured in the audio. That is left for individuals to speculate. However, stopping short of crying, it can be safely assumed that Betty went public with this appeal, with the hope that, others will join her to “beg” Ademosun to leave Akeredolu alone.
But before l join in the begging, l want Mrs Akeredolu to help us with the figures as to Ademosun’s looting. Because, it is not enough for her to leave Akeredolu alone, she must leave Ondo State Treasury alone, and she must also return what she has looted.
As a matter of fact, Betty and her son Babajide must also return what they have looted. Why did Betty wait till now before crying out for help?
Throughout history, there have been women, not married to Kings, yet, whose influence on the throne were awesome. Ehrengard Melusine von der Schulenburg, Duchess of Kendal (1667-1743) accompanied King George 1, from Hanover, when he became King. A lot of persons who wanted audience with the King spoke to Ehrengard first.
Before King Charles lll ascended the throne, the secret affair between Camila and Prince Charles almost crashed the British monarchy.
For me, Mrs Betty Akeredolu should direct her prayers to God Almighty who is owner of all the worlds, who has power of life and death over all His creatures. But he who comes to equity, must come with clean hands. Betty cannot call someone a looter, when she has been looting Ondo State blind.
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