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.
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:
N1 billion in damages, including exemplary damages
A perpetual injunction preventing further publication of the alleged defamatory statements
A full-page retraction and apology in two national newspapers
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.
