WATCH THE VIDEO HERE A High Court in Akure, Ondo State, has issued a summons to Mrs. Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, the widow of former Ondo State Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, following a defamation suit filed by the state’s Commissioner of Finance, Mrs. Omowumi Isaac. The legal action stems from an interview published in Starnews online newspaper on February 13, 2025, where Mrs. Anyanwu-Akeredolu made controversial statements about her late husband’s medical treatment and allegedly made accusations of corruption against the finance commissioner. The dispute originated from Mrs. Anyanwu-Akeredolu’s interview, where she claimed that if her late husband had listened to her medical advice regarding his prostate cancer, she would not have been widowed. She advocated for orthodox medicine, while the late governor reportedly preferred prayer-based treatment. Mrs. Isaac’s primary grievance centered on allegations that Mrs. Anyanwu-Akeredolu had implied corruption in her removal from the governor’s cabinet. Prior to filing the lawsuit, Mrs. Isaac’s lawyer had issued a seven-day ultimatum demanding a retraction of the statements. The court has warned that failure to respond could result in the case proceeding and a judgment being made in the defendants’ absence.
Ondo State Finance Commissioner Sues Betty Akeredolu Anyanwu for N1 Billion in Defamation Lawsuit
Court documents reveal that the summons, marked HCAK/53/CIV/2025, requires Mrs. Anyanwu-Akeredolu and her associate, Mr. Olumide Akinrinlola, to appear in court within 30 days. The lawsuit seeks: