The widow of the late Social Democratic Party governorship candidate in the November 2024 Ondo State election, Mrs. Christy Akingboye, has refuted allegations claiming she had a hand in the death of her husband, Bamidele Akingboye.
Christy, who addressed journalists in Lagos on Monday, described the allegations as “wicked, fabricated, and intentionally designed to malign her and her children.”
She gave a detailed account of her husband’s struggle with mental illness and its impact on their family.
She stated that Bamidele was diagnosed with bipolar manic disorder in 2019, a condition that triggered repeated episodes of mania, suicidal tendencies and unpredictable behaviour.
According to her, the family had kept the illness private to protect him from public judgment.
Christy recalled several disturbing incidents linked to the illness, including an attempted jump from a balcony in 2019 which was stopped by their daughter, and another episode in Dubai where he was taken to a psychiatric facility by police.
She added that political pressure, heavy debts and lack of rest worsened his condition.
She said, “He was my friend. I didn’t just lose a husband, I lost my better half.”
The widow also revealed that her husband was under severe financial strain, with debts running into hundreds of millions of naira, which deepened his mental health challenges.
She said stigma around suicide in Nigeria influenced her initial silence, as she sought to protect his dignity and political legacy.
“In our society, suicide is something people weaponise. I didn’t want my husband to remember that way,” she said.
Christy accused her stepson, Samuel Akingboye, of circulating doctored images and pushing a false narrative that she was responsible for the death.
She insisted that authentic mortuary photographs showed no bruises or injuries, alleging that Samuel relied on AI-generated visuals to imply foul play.
She also faulted the early stages of the police investigation, claiming there were procedural lapses and bias.
According to her, investigators neither examined the deceased’s room nor secured the scene before inviting her and her children, who she said were detained for three days without proper justification.
“The family was detained for three days after the incident,” she said, adding that her petitions prompted the reassignment of the case.
She noted that the new investigative team carried out a more comprehensive review, including visits to the rooms, the balcony and surrounding properties.
She lamented that CCTV footage from a secondary camera had been overwritten due to delays by the initial investigators.
Christy alleged undue pressure from repeated police summons and attempts to push a murder narrative despite what she described as the absence of forensic support.
She recounted how she and her children were escorted to Panti Police Station recently, where over 20 armed officers were waiting despite assurances they would not be detained.
“If not that I prepared my children mentally outside, they would have panicked,” she said.
She also questioned her stepson’s continued daily presence at the police station.
“He has been going to Panti every day. What is he doing there?” she asked.
Despite her concerns, Christy expressed confidence that the Directorate of Public Prosecutions would review the matter fairly once the police conclude their work.
“My hands are clean. God knows the truth. I have nothing to hide,” she said.
“He was my friend. I fought for his life for years. His children saw the episodes; they know what happened. They all need therapy after this.”
Christy urged authorities to focus on the deceased’s medical history, insisting that only a thorough and impartial review would bring closure.
“I didn’t kill my husband. I loved him and stood by him through everything. I only want the truth to prevail,” she added.