Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Hon. Lucky Aiyedatiwa has said that the claims of a group that he assaulted his wife, Oluwaseun, is false.
In a statement made over the weekend by its national coordinator, Damilola Charles, the Society for Women Empowerment (SWE) issued a seven-day ultimatum for Aiyedatiwa to tender a public apology to his wife.
The group accused Aiyedatiwa of “repeatedly beating and abusing” his wife, even in the presence of his staff and friends and threatened to protest if the deputy governor fails to apologise.
But Aiyedatiwa said in a statement on Sunday by his media aide, Kenneth Odusola-Stevenson, that the allegation is political blackmail taken too far.
It said: “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 crisis where there is none.
“And we, therefore, warn those spreading such falsehood to desist or face the consequences.”
According to Aiyedatiwa, he has been busy with official duties as Ondo deputy governor and performing duties delegated to him by his boss, Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, who is on leave.
The statement added: “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.”
However, SWE 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 pillow’s tears and afraid to speak up because their husbands are highly placed. We are saying no more domestic violence. Irrespective of who you are.”
