* Begins consultation with stakeholders
Mrs. Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, the wife of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, has begun consultations with stakeholders in furtherance of her desire to contest the Imo East Senatorial District election in 2023.
The Ondo First Lady declared her intention on Thursday, during a meeting at Igolo Abiam Plaza on Wetheral Road, Owerri.
She expressed pain over the deterioration that Nigeria has gone through, saying she cannot continue to sit by and watch the country continue on its descent to the precipice.
She decried the lack of attention for the youths, saying the situation has forced several of them take to hard drugs especially the latest fad called Mkpurumiri, which is wreaking havoc in the lives of many youths.
The First Lady regretted that the society resorts to flogging in order to whip Mkpurumiri users out of the indulgenece instead of rehabilitating and implementing policies and programmes that would make intake of hard drugs unattractive to the youths.
Mrs Anyanwu-Akeredolu also bemoaned the rising maternal deaths in the country, asserting that every woman is entitled to safe delivery if the right things are done.
According to her, the SOLAYO intervention she is implementing in Ondo State has ensured that pregnant Ondo women not only give birth safely but also nurse their babies in good health.
The First Lady pointed out that she is interested in occupying the Imo East Senatorial seat at the National Assembly, to be in a position to deploy legislative interventions to engender good governance the country.
She urged other women to step forward and contest for various positions of choice, insisting that only women know where it pinches them most and once in a position of authority could direct interventionist measures to solve their myriad of challenges.
She maintained that good people cannot afford to sit on the fence while bad people continue to run the country aground.
The Ondo First Lady said she was prepared and ready for the contest and assured the people of Imo East otherwise known as Owerri Zone that they would get the robust representation they desire and deserve from her.
On why she is showing interest in the senatorial seat in her State of origin instead of Ondo where she is married, Anyanwu-Akeredolu said she is first and foremost an indigene of Imo State, an identity that marriage cannot erase.
She said: “I am from Emebiam Community in Owerri West LGA of Imo State. And marriage cannot change that.”
Her aide, Pastor Ikechukwu Onuoha, emphasized the need for Owerri zone to have Anyanwu-Akeredolu as its senator. According to Onuoha, the first lady has been impacting Owerri zone without being a senator representing it.
He listed numerous projects she had either executed or attracted to the zone to include the reconstruction of Emebiam-Okolosi Road valued at more than N1.6billion.
Imo East comprises nine local government areas of Owerri Municipal, Owerri West, Owerri North, Ikeduru, Mbaitoli, Aboh Mbaise, Ezinihitte Mbaise, Ahiazu Mbaise and Ngor-Okpala of Imo State.
Persons who had represented Owerri Zone included Bright Nwanne, Evan Enwerem, Ama Iwuagwu, Eze Ajoku, Chris Anyanwu and Samuel Nnaemeka Anyanwu.
The incumbent is Senator Ezenwa Onyewuchi.