“I Never Raised Hands On My Wife” – Ondo Deputy Gov
Fijabi Olanrewaju
AMIDST controversy surrounding the alleged wife battery by the Ondo State Deputy Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, his wife, Oluwaseun has taken to her social media page to confirm the story.
One of the aides attached to the office of the wife of the deputy governor, who pleaded anonymity, confirmed that the Facebook page belongs to Oluwaseun.
A civil society group, Society for Women Empowerment (SWE), had given a 7-day ultimatum to the deputy governor to publicly apologise to his wife for allegedly manhandling her.
The group, in a statement signed by its coordinator, Damilola Charles, accused Mr Aiyedatiwa of “repeatedly beating and abusing” his spouse, even in the presence of his staff members and friends.
But in a swift reaction, the deputy governor in a statement signed by his Press Secretary, Kenneth Odusola, said he reserves the right to privacy on issues pertaining to his family.
The statement noted that the deputy governor’s wife had lived and worked in the United Kingdom for many years before her husband became an elected public official in Nigeria.
Meanwhile, the deputy governor’s wife shared a screenshot of the story alleging that she was assaulted by her husband.
She also posted a video of herself dancing in a club environment with the caption: “According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), 1 in 3 women worldwide have experienced physical and/or sexual violence at some point in their lives. This staggering statistic highlights the pervasive nature of domestic violence and its impact on women globally. Say NO to domestic violence!”
One of the social media users, Sunday Banjo who reacted to the post confirmed that he was a witness to the assault on Oluwaseun on 19 December 2022.
“I will recommend that Deputy Governor Lucky Orire Aiyedatiwa proceeds on mental health assessment and marriage counselling. Carrying a woman outside your marital relationship is a criminal offence.” He commented on another post.
The civil society group, Society for Women Empowerment (SWE) has dared Aiyedatiwa to ask his wife to publicly deny the alleged battery if it didn’t happen.
The group, in a short statement sent to reporters by its coordinator, Damilola Charles, in Akure on Sunday said: “We have read the reaction of the deputy governor. It is funny how the deputy governor was approbating 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.
“They 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.”
Meanwhile, Mr Aiyedatiwa has vehemently denied the allegation of physically abusing his wife, describing it as taking politics too far.
His media aide, Kenneth Odusola-Stevenson, quotes Aiyedatiwa as stating that the allegations were baseless and the imagination of a faceless group.
The statement, which noted that the deputy governor reserved the right to privacy particularly with respect to his family, said there had never been any issue of domestic violence as alleged, as his wife, Mrs Oluwaseun Aiyedatiwa, was at the moment outside the shores of the country.
“It has come to the attention of the Office of the Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Hon. Lucky Aiyedatiwa, that a baseless and false report credited to a faceless group alleging the deputy governor of domestic abuse and assault on his wife.
“This falsehood and its peddlers would have ordinarily been ignored at this time but the need to halt further negative reports and rumours capable of creating needless tension in our state has necessitated this response.
“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.
“It is not a secret that Mrs Oluwaseun Aiyedatiwa has lived and worked in the United Kingdom for many years before her husband became an elected public official in Nigeria.
“And since then she has been shuttling between the United Kingdom and Nigeria to take care of the home and the children who are also in the United Kingdom.
“Therefore, any report of alleged domestic issues within the family should be taken as the handiwork of the enemies of the state who are bent on causing a crisis where there is none.
“And we, therefore, warn those spreading such falsehood to desist or face the consequences,” the statement said.
According to the deputy governor, he has been busy with official duties of his office and performing duties delegated to him by his boss, Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, while on leave.
“It is, therefore uncharitable for anyone to claim that the deputy governor has in that period carried out “multiple assaults” on his spouse who is out of the country.
“This is nothing but political blackmail taken too far.
“We urge the good people of Ondo State to ignore such falsehood as those behind it may just be plotting further attacks on the deputy governor to promote their sinister agenda,” the statement concluded.
Eighteen-Eleven Media