The Edo South Senatorial District is one of the three senatorial districts in Edo State, Nigeria. It comprises seven local government areas, namely Egor, Ikpoba Okha, Oredo, Orhionmwon, Ovia North-East, Ovia South-West, and Uhunmwonde.
In the February 25th, 2023 Presidential and National Assembly Election, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Mr Neda Imasuen, the candidate of the Labour Party, as the winner of the Senatorial contest in Edo South Senatorial District.
He emerged victorious over the candidates of the two major parties, the All-Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Announcing the results, INEC’s Returning Officer, Professor Julius Obasuyi, announced that Mr Neda Imasuen polled a total of 167,250 votes to emerge as the winner, while his closest rival, Mr Matthew Iduoriyekemwen of the PDP, garnered 61,749 votes. The candidate of the APC, Valentine Asuen, scored 57,933 votes.
The victory of Mr Neda Imasuen in the Senatorial election shows a shift in the political landscape of Edo South Senatorial District, as this is the first time in a long while that a candidate outside those of the parties that have ruled the state, has won a Senatorial election in the district. It also indicates the growing popularity of the Labour Party in the state, which has been historically dominated by the APC and PDP.
Although he is relatively known, Barrister. Neda Imasuen started his formal education from St. Thomas` Catholic School, Ogbe, and Edo Boys High School both in Benin City and from where he obtained both his Primary School Leaving Certificate and the West African School Certificate respectively.
He holds an LL. B degree from the University of Maiduguri and was certified and enrolled as a Solicitor and Advocate of the Supreme Court of Nigeria in 1985. Barrister. Neda Imasuen also obtained a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Long Island University, Brooklycn Campus New York City in 2004.
In New York and before going into the International Consultancy Projects, he practised Law and was a public advocate for several years.
In 2010, he finally came back to Nigeria as a consultant for the European Union State Reforming Institutional Programme, SRIP Project, and was the Jigawa State Coordinator of the programme. Following his consultancy role for the European Union was his work for the Nigerian Governors’ Forum as a Policy Consultant under the State Peer Review Mechanism Project (SPRM).
Barrister Neda Imasuen was between 2014 and 2015, the Legislative Consultant for the World Bank Project, which collaborated with SEEFOR, Asaba, Delta State in the development of the Single Treasury Account Policy. Until his resignation to run for the senate to represent Edo South Senatorial District, Barrister Imasuen was Senior Legislative Aide to Senator Matthew Urhoghide, the outgoing Senator for the district in both tenures of the latter’s from where, in addition to the experience gathered in his consultancy engagements, he acquired more insights into the functioning and formulation of policies, legislation and programmes as they interact with humans in their affairs.
He is married and has children. Barrister Neda Imasuen enjoys making friends, listening to music, researching topics, and jogging in his spare times.
He was a huge contributor to the two tenures of the district’s outgoing Senator Matthew Urhoghide, whom, Edo South People, have come to regard as the best representation the district has ever experienced from their representatives.
Urhoghide of PDP was re-elected in 2019 with 51.0%. Although Urhoghide sought re-election in his -party to pave way for him to contest the February 25th 2023 election but he was defeated by a former member of the State House of Assembly and ex-NDDC Commissioner Matthew Iduoriyekemwen due to Governor Obaseki’s petty, immature, and promotion of divisiveness in the State.
In one of his interviews before the election, Barrister Neda Imasuen said “my political philosophy is driven by the desire to positively impact on the lives of the citizenry while also ensuring that policy formulation and implementation are people-centric,” adding further that even as he remains committed to these goals, his choice of the Labour Party was deliberate and incontrovertible.
An astute politician is someone who possesses great insight, intelligence, and shrewdness when it comes to navigating the complex world of politics. They are skilled at reading the political climate and understanding the needs and desires of their constituents. They are also adept at making strategic decisions, building alliances, and managing conflicts in order to achieve their goals.
Without skipping a beat, Barrister Neda Imasuen is an astute politician who has the ability to lead and inspire others and to make a positive impact on society. He is driven by a sense of purpose and a desire to serve his community, and he is willing to put in the hard work and make the tough decisions necessary to achieve the desired goals for the good people of Edo South Senatorial District.
Barrister Neda Imasuen is a skilled and strategic politician who possesses the necessary qualities to lead and make a positive impact on the community. His ability to read the political climate and understand the needs of his constituents, as well as his skill at making strategic decisions and managing conflicts, suggests that he is well-equipped to navigate the complex world of politics.
Furthermore, his sense of purpose and desire to serve the community indicate that he is motivated by a genuine desire to improve the lives of the people he represents. This is a valuable trait for a politician to have, as it suggests that he is committed to working hard and making the tough decisions necessary to achieve his goals.
▪ Osayande, PhD, contributed this piece from Abuja via austinelande@yahoo.com
