Mrs. Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, the wife of Ondo State Governor, has indicated her intentions to represent Imo East Senatorial District in the Senate.
The Ondo first lady disclosed this while kicking off consultation with stakeholders in the Senatorial zone on Thursday at Igolo Abiam Plaza, Wetheral Road, Owerri, the Imo State capital.
Anyanwu-Akeredolu expressed pained at the rate the country has deteriorated, adding that she cannot sit by to watch the country continue on her descent to the precipice.
She lamented the lack of attention to the youths which, according to her, has forced many of them take into hard drugs especially the latest fad, Mkpurumiri, which is wreaking havoc in the lives of many youths.
The Ondo State First Lady regretted that the society had resorts to flogging Mkpurumiri addicts instead of rehabilitating them and implementing policies and programmes that would make intake of hard drugs unattractive to the youths.
Anyanwu-Akeredolu also bemoaned the rising maternal deaths in the country, asserting that every woman is entitled to safe delivery if the right things were done.
According to her, the SOLAYO intervention she is implementing in Ondo State has ensured that pregnant Ondo women not only give births 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 in order 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 angling for a senatorial seat in her state of origin instead of state of marriage, Anyanwu-Akeredolu said she is first and foremost an indigene of Imo State, an identity which marriage cannot erase.
“I’m from Emebiam Community in Owerri West LGA of Imo State. And marriage cannot change that”.
