Imo East, Poorly Represented By Successive Representatives – Betty Anyanwu -Akeredolu

By Charles Igbo

A Senatorial aspirant in 2023, Mrs Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, says that her decision to run for the Senatorial seat,  Imo East, (Owerri Zone), stems from the poor representation of the people by their successive representatives, and the lack of leadership in the Zone.

She is, therefore, running in 2023, she said,  to lead the leadership conversation on behalf of the people. Successive administrations and Legislators, she observed, grossly neglected the Zone.

Anyanwu-Akeredolu, who is the Wife of the Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN, and so, the First Lady of the State, spoke during an interactive session with members of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Imo Council, on Friday, March 8, 2022, in Owerri.

According to her: “The level of neglect of the Zone is remote and hopeless, despite the rapid urbanisation of other parts of the State.”

She also lamented what she described as “the poor refuse disposal system in the area and the high number of preventable deaths, especially among women, occasioned by lack of standard medical facilities in the Senatorial District”

A native of Emeabiam in the Owerri West Local Government Area of Imo State, Anyanwu-Akeredolu, though married to a Yoruba man, said she has never lost touch with her roots.

“I have been married for 40 years, but I have never lost touch with my  biological birthplace. I am conversant with developments at home.

“I have deep interest in human capital development and a deep-seated desire to improve the lives of my people from Imo. Leadership is not gender-specific.”

She says she has an edge to attract projects to  Owerri Zone  over any other aspirant to the Senatorial seat because:

“As an Igbo daughter, with Yoruba in-laws, I stand a good chance to lobby for projects that would impact on the lives of my people.”

Giving an insight into what she has used her marital position to achieve for her people she said:

“I have demonstrated this ability to handle the position with the many development projects I attracted to my community in the past.

“I have ensured that my development projects, as the wife of a sitting Governor, are extended to my State of origin.

“I attracted the construction of a 10.5km road, worth N1.6 billion from Niger Delta Development Commission and it is currently under construction.

“I have also sponsored no fewer than 200 girls, with technological knowledge and special focus on Information Communication Technology, among others.”

Taking a look at the Zone, Anyanwu-Akeredolu  said: “There is lack of direction, compassion and understanding presently to improve the lives of the people in the constituency.”

She, therefore, asked for support to represent the people at the Senate.

Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, unarguably, the most active Governor’s wife in Nigeria, holds the prestigious Chieftaincy title of “Ada Owere”, bestowed on her by all the Traditional Rulers in Owerri. In her native Emeabiam Community, she holds the title of “Ada Emeabiam 11.”