By Charles Igbo
The race for the Imo East Senatorial seat, come 2023, has become more intense and interesting with the entrance of Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu.
Anyanwu-Akeredolu, a woman who hardly needs any introduction, is the wife of Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN.
By popular acclaim, she is the most prominent and, unarguably, the most effective First Lady in the 36 States of the Federation. She has name-recognition, and a special interest in women health issues and the girl-child education and well-being.
A native of Emebiam, Owerri-west Local Government Area of Imo State, it has long been speculated that with her many visits to Imo State (Owerri Zone), and her activities in the State, which have garnered her a couple of awards, including the prestigious “Ada Owere” and “Igolo Emeabiam 11”, she would aspire to a Political office in the Zone.
On Thursday. March 24, Anyanwu-Akeredolu confirmed her ambition to the Owerri-,East Senatorial seat at a meeting she held at her Igolo Abiam Plaza located along Wetheral Road, Owerri Municipal.
One of the reasons she decided to take this step, she disclosed, is her discomfort with the deterioration in the country. She said it is difficult for her to sit down and watch.
She decried the state of youths, their resort to drugs, especially, Mkpurumiri, and condemned the act of whipping them instead of rehabilitating them.
The Ondo First Lady also lamented the state of women, maternal mortality, and the girl-child education.
She urged women to step forward and contest to elective positions, and emphasised that “good people cannot continue to sit-by and watch while bad people continue to run the country aground.”
If Mrs Anyanwu-Akeredolu succeeds in her aspiration, she will be the second woman to represent Imo-east Senatorial District. The first was the very accomplished Journalist and two-term Senator, Chris Anyanwu. She will, also be the second Governor’s wife to go to the Senate, the first being Mrs Oluremi Tinubu who is on her third term as a Senator.
Mrs Anyanwu-Akeredolu is not new to politics. Aside from being married to Politician, she had, unsuccessfully, contested for the seat of Owerri-west Federal Constituency years back.
This time, she will contest under the banner of the All Progressives Congress, APC. It is not known, yet, who she will face at the APC Primaries, but strong speculation is that it is likely to be Alex Mbata. There could be others.
In the PDP for the same seat, it is a strong field of the incumbent Senator Ezenwa Onyewuchi, Barrister Uche Onyeagucha, former Secretary to Imo State Government, former House of Representatives Member, and Dr Basil Maduka.
