Betty Akeredolu Criticizes Akpabio for Involving His Wife in Dispute with Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan
Betty Akeredolu, wife of the late former Governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu, has expressed strong disapproval of Senate President Godswill Akpabio’s decision to involve his wife in his ongoing clash with Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan. She described this action as “highly disingenuous.”
In a statement posted on her official X account on Sunday, Akeredolu criticized Akpabio’s handling of the situation, arguing that in more developed countries, he would have stepped down to defend his reputation instead of shifting the focus and dragging his wife into the dispute.
Akeredolu also addressed the controversy surrounding the reassignment of Natasha’s seat without her knowledge, condemning it as an infringement on her rights and a disrespectful move.
She praised Natasha for speaking out against the unfair treatment, noting that many male senators had remained silent in similar situations in the past. Akeredolu emphasized that speaking out against such injustices is important and should be encouraged.
Akeredolu wrote, “In more progressive societies, Akpabio would have already stepped down to clear his name, rather than attempting to avoid accountability by involving his wife in his fight. This is a clear attempt to deflect responsibility and unfairly place his wife in harm’s way. What a cowardly approach!
“Now, let’s get to the heart of the matter. Reassigning someone’s seat without their consent is wrong! It’s disrespectful and violates personal rights.
“Even if this has happened in the past, and some men chose to remain silent for whatever reason, Natasha had the courage to speak out and state clearly that it was wrong. We noticed that, and she deserves our support for taking a stand. No practice, no matter how long-standing, is beyond correction.
“Some people have criticized Natasha for being too emotional, but what’s the point of that argument? Natasha has shared her frustration after enduring much. That’s courage. That’s the kind of woman we need representing us in the national assembly.
“Nigerian women have been systematically oppressed and silenced across various areas of life, and it’s high time we recognize that. Isn’t it shameful that Nigeria only has four female senators out of 107?”
