When the news of Lucky Aiyedatiwa, the deputy governor of Ondo State, physically assaulting his wife on several occasions started, it was discussed in hushed tones; until a human rights group, Society for Women Empowerment (SWE) blew it up sometime last week.
In a statement by Damilola Charles, National Coordinator of the group, the deputy governor had been repeatedly assaulting his wife, Oluwaseun Aiyedatiwa in the presence of staff, friends and even neighbours.
The group had condemned his actions and went further to give a 7-day ultimatum to the Deputy Governor to make a public apology to his better half.
If some didn’t believe the story, they must have done so when over the weekend, the alledged battered woman went on her social media page, Facebook to be precise, to acknowledge the development by sharing the statement from the SWE.
One Sunday Banjo put legitimacy to her claim when he revealed that he had witnessed the woman being manhandled on December 19, 2022.
“I will recommend the Deputy Governor Lucky Orire Aiyedatiwa to proceed on mental health assessment and marriage counseling. Carrying woman outside your marital relationship is a criminal offence,” he said.
Reacting swiftly, on Sunday, the deputy governor released a statement stating that he had never raised his hands on his wife and condemned the allegations calling it “a political move”.
“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…
“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 crisis where there is none.
“And we therefore warn those spreading such falsehood to desist or face the consequences,” the statement read.
The deputy governor also said that the allegation was nothing but a political blackmail taken too far.