By Fisayo Akinduro

The Ondo State Commissioner for Finance, Mrs Omowunmi Isaac, has demanded an immediate retraction and public apology from the widow of former Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, Mrs Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, over comments made in an interview published by Starnews on February 13, 2025.

Isaac, through her legal representatives, Gbenga Adeyemi & Co., described the remarks as defamatory, slanderous, and libellous, stating that they were aimed at tarnishing her reputation and subjecting her to public ridicule.

The interview, titled “I Wouldn’t Be a Widow If Aketi Had Listened to Me,” was anchored by Olumide Akinrinola on behalf of Starnews.

During the session, Anyanwu-Akeredolu was asked about claims that Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa was not in control of governance and that the Finance Commissioner had taken over.

In response, she allegedly stated: “No comments. However, it’s worth noting that this same Commissioner was sacked from her position during Aketi’s first administration for financial malfeasance. You can connect the dots as to why Lucky brought her back. We are watching.”

Isaac’s solicitors have dismissed the allegations as false, misleading, and damaging. They insisted that their client was never sacked but was redeployed on December 1, 2019 from her role as Director-General of the Ondo State Bureau for Public Procurement to Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Budget and Economic Planning.

To substantiate their claim, they cited an official statement from the Ondo State Government at the time, confirming that her reassignment was part of a broader administrative restructuring.

According to the legal representatives, the comments made by Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu have had severe repercussions on their client.

They argued that the claim that Isaac was dismissed for financial malfeasance has cast doubt on her credibility as a senior public officer and custodian of the state’s treasury.

The insinuation that Governor Aiyedatiwa reinstated her for questionable reasons has fuelled suspicion and political attacks.

The phrase “we are watching” has subjected her to undue public surveillance, implying wrongdoing. The widespread circulation of the interview has led to a barrage of calls, emails, and letters from friends, colleagues, and associates both within and outside Nigeria, questioning the veracity of the claims.

The interview has been widely shared by major news outlets, including Punch Newspapers, Tribune Online, Daily Post Nigeria, Vanguard News, The Cable, PM News Nigeria, Platform Times, Sahara Reporters, and Pulse Nigeria. Social media reactions have further fuelled the controversy, with individuals condemning her based on the allegations.

In response to the perceived damage, Isaac’s solicitors have issued a formal demand to Anyanwu-Akeredolu, requiring her to retract the statements within seven days and publish the retraction on Starnews and all media platforms that originally carried the interview.

They also demanded an unreserved public apology in the same manner as the retraction.

The letter warned that failure to comply with these demands would result in legal action, including claims for aggravated and exemplary damages, alongside other legal reliefs.

As of the time of filing this report, Anyanwu-Akeredolu has yet to respond to the legal notice.