Ondo Deputy Governor Reacts To Allegation Of Making His Wife Flee Over Abuse

ALL FACTS NEWSPAPER had reported that a Civil Society Group, Society for Women Empowerment (SWE), accused Aiyedatiwa of assaulting and leaving injuries on his wife who has now 'fled the country for UK' owing to the assault according to the group.

The group accused the deputy governor of trying to cover the alleged crime and issued a seven-day ultimatum to him, to make a public apology to his wife for allegedly manhandling her.

Responding, the deputy governor in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Kenneth Odusola, stated that the allegation of assaulting his wife is a falsehood perpetrated by those who intend to cause crisis in the state.

The statement added that though Aiyedatiwa has the right to privacy in matters that concerns his family, there "has never been any domestic violence between the deputy governor and his lovely wife, Mrs. Oluwaseun Aiyedatiwa, who at the moment is outside the shores of the country."

The statement read;

"The said allegation of domestic abuse against the person of the deputy governor is a figment of the imagination of those behind it and their ungodly intentions to cause crisis in the state had been known for weeks and therefore such falsehood did not come as a surprise,ÔÇØ he said.

"While His Excellency reserves the right to privacy on issues pertaining to his family, it is pertinent to state clearly that there has never been any domestic violence between the deputy governor and his lovely wife, Mrs. Oluwaseun Aiyedatiwa, who at the moment is outside the shores of the country.

"In the last four months quoted in the false report as timeline, His Excellency has been busy with official duties of his office and has during the period performed the duties of the office of the governor as delegated to him by his boss, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu, while he was on leave.

"It is concerning to see that a faceless group said to be headed by a name not known anywhere in the state could sell such fabrication to media men.

"It is more concerning, however, that such a lie, which was not backed with any evidence whatsoever, could be promoted into a news item by journalists.ÔÇØ

Meanwhile, in a swift response to the deputy governor's denial of the allegation, Society for Women Empowerment (SWE), through it's national coordinator Damilola Charles said in a statement;

"We have read the reaction of the deputy governor. It is funny how the deputy governor was applauding and reprobating.

"You claim the allegation is a lie but also admitted that it's a domestic matter. Yet, you didn't ask your wife to do the rebuttal and sign it. Nigerians are not fools. We understand this situation.

"We are particularly interested in pursuing this to a logical conclusion because there are many women out there who are dying in silence and suffering from domestic abuse.ÔÇØ

"In this particular case of the deputy governor's wife, we shall provide photographs of battered face portions at the appropriate time to substantiate our claim. We shall also provide video evidence of the reaction of the children to the various incidents when they arrived in Nigeria from the United Kingdom.

"Many are soaking their pillows with tears and afraid to speak up because their husbands are highly-placed. We are saying, "No more domestic violence. Irrespective of who you are.ÔÇØ