Recounting Barrister Neda Imasuen’s victory at the last 2023 Senatorial poll, it all was a surprise, that a former legislative aide to Senator Mathew Urhoghide, Bar. NedaImasuen entering the Senatorial race and emerging the winner in the Edo South Senatorial District, defeating the huge money bags and supposed heavy weights in thecontests. Despite the presence of Hon. Mathew Iduoriyekemwen of the PDP and from the APC, Hon. Valentine Nowamagbe Asuen.
Barrister Neda Imasuen coming from the back and literally from nowhere, in the new mood of the electorate, swept to victory. It was a landslide and a sweet victory!!.
To ready himself for the contest, he worked assiduously as a legislative aide, had a good legal education and had since long returned to Nigeria from the United States having sojourned in America for his education. And even may have acquired a dual citizenship which the Nigeria Laws does permit. But we are not certain he acquired such status.
As was required by law, he resigned as far back as April 12th 2023, early enough before the Labour Party Senatorial Primaries so as not to have any issue with the law, he being a lawyer himself.
No doubt, the Peter Obi effect was there, added to the new mindset of the electorate to dictate the choice of candidates so as to exactly prove that in elections, not only does one’s vote count, but that the chosen popularly voted candidate is the people’s choice. Barrister Neda Imasuen, swept the polls throughout Edo South without the help of the usual godfathers and the election enforcers, as the mood in Edo South was for the Labour Party and none else. This is why the people are at a loss as to why the opposition parties bothered to go to court in the first place.
This is a feat that left the two major party opponents dazed and dumbfounded. They, the opponents had been masters of the political game over the years, but sadly they failed to read the signs of the times.
Can this feat be repeated again in another four years? Given the new mood of the electorate to seize the direction of our new politics and the level of organizational ability of the Labour Party, the large looming Peter Obi image, and howthe core message of the Obidients is spread and held, why not ? Barrister Neda Imasuen can be expected to make it back to the Senate, and possibly, with another landslide!!.
Tony Abolo writes from Benin