The Ondo State Government has dismissed allegations claiming that Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa was involved in domestic violence with his spouse. The government described a viral video, purportedly showing the governor in a domestic altercation, as an act of blackmail.
In a statement issued by the SSA to the Governor on Strategic Communication, Allen Sowore, the state government accused the opposition of being responsible for circulating a video of a female abuser to tarnish the governor’s reputation ahead of the November 16th, 2024, Ondo State Governorship Election.
Sowore asserted that the opposition, particularly the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is resorting to any means to destroy the governor’s image. He stated, “As preparations for the November 16th, 2024, Ondo State Governorship Election intensify, it is becoming evident that the incumbent governor, His Excellency Lucky Aiyedatiwa, is gaining the upper hand. In response, opposition parties seem willing to resort to blackmail, fake news, and falsehoods.”
He continued, “The latest tactic involves the circulation of a video showing an average-age man engaged in a domestic scuffle with his spouse.” Sowore emphasised that the intent behind sharing the video is to damage the reputation of Governor Aiyedatiwa, who is also the APC candidate.
To clarify any misconceptions, Sowore pointed out several discrepancies between the governor and the individual in the video:
- Governor Aiyedatiwa no longer sports the same type of beard as seen in the clip.
- The governor has an oval face, while the individual in the video has a round face.
- The man in the video has a noticeable gap between his upper and lower teeth (diastema), a feature the governor does not possess.
- The voice of the man in the video is distinctly different from that of Governor Aiyedatiwa.
- Importantly, the governor has never worked in the United Kingdom, as suggested in the video’s conversation.
Sowore urged the public to scrutinise the video closely and recognise these clear distinctions before drawing any erroneous conclusions about the governor’s identity.
He concluded by calling for those responsible for disseminating the misleading video to conduct proper fact-checks and refrain from such tactics. “The members of the PDP should cease their efforts to paint the governor in a bad light and instead focus on addressing their party’s own issues,” he added.
