The former First Lady of Ondo State, Dr Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, has declared her intention to contest the Imo East senatorial seat, insisting she remains firmly rooted in her ancestral home despite objections questioning her eligibility.
Speaking with journalists at her Owerri office on Saturday, Akeredolu dismissed calls urging her to abandon her political ambition in Imo State, describing such opposition as misplaced and dismissive of her identity and heritage.
“People ask where I come from and raise issues about my marital status. But marriage does not erase one’s heritage,” she said.
“My name is Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu. I cannot drop the Anyanwu. That name made me who I am before marriage. My husband understood my love for Emeabiam and respected it.”
Positioning her candidacy as a response to what she described as a leadership gap, the Labour Party aspirant said Ndi Owerri deserve “serious, people-focused representation” at the National Assembly.
“What Ndi Owerri need now is quality representation, and I am ready to provide it,” she declared.
“I am not coming to take from the people. I am fulfilled. This is about delivering the real dividends of democracy.”
Akeredolu also took aim at what she called a structural disconnect between federal lawmakers and grassroots governance, blaming it for project duplication and inefficiency.
“Senators have no business building town halls,” she argued. “That is the responsibility of councillors and local government chairmen. We must begin to define roles clearly to avoid waste and confusion.”
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On policy priorities, the former First Lady pledged to champion legislation on breast cancer awareness and affordable treatment, describing the disease as a “silent killer” worsened by poor awareness and late detection.
“Too many women are dying because they don’t know what to look out for or cannot afford treatment,” she said.
“This is an area where legislation can save lives.”
She explained that her decision to return to the race was driven by the belief that public office offers a broader platform to impact lives beyond her foundation’s reach.
“Through private initiatives, you can only do so much. But in public office, you can influence policy and touch more lives meaningfully,” she added.
Akeredolu further called for increased female participation in politics, noting that her alignment with the Labour Party was influenced by its current female national leadership.
“I believe in women stepping forward. That’s part of what drew me to this platform,” she said, while also pledging to work with stakeholders to resolve the party’s internal leadership challenges.
The former First Lady previously contested the Imo East senatorial seat in 2023 under the APC but is now seeking a fresh mandate on the Labour Party platform, signaling what could shape up to be a fiercely contested race in the district.
