The Edo State senator representing Edo South Senatorial District, Nelda Imasuen, is set to defect from his current party, the Labour Party (LP), to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Tribune Online gathered.
A source close to the senator who heads the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges, said that there had been intense pressure on Imasuen from the APC leaders in Edo State in recent times for the senator to join the ruling party.
The source, who pleaded anonymous added that Senator Imasuen’s resistance of the pressure was becoming weaker by the day, and might buckle under the weight of the pressure mounted on him.
He added that the intractable crisis within the LP at the federal and state levels was also not helping matters as that could serve as a natural alibi for Imasuen to jump the LP ship and anchor with the APC.
“Al I can say is that it is a matter of time, Senator Nelda Imasuen will dump the Labour Party for the All Progressives Congress (APC). the pressure on him to join the APC is becoming too much and the senator’s resolve when the idea was first brought up is becoming weaker by the day”, the source disclosed.
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According to the LP chieftain, who is also one of the confidants of the senator, “The fact that LP has crises in the state and at the centre is also a factor the APC is using to woo Senator Imasuen.
“If he decamps today, he can easily hide under that to say that LP has leadership crises and that is valid and obvious.”
The rumour of Senator Imasuen’s defection to the APC has been on for a while. The rumour gained traction a few weeks ago when a group threatened to recall the senator for his alleged role in the suspension of the senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, for six months over her disagreement with the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio.
Senator Imasuen’s Committee on Ethics and Privileges, it would be recalled, recommended the suspension of Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, an action that drew the ire of the public against the senate.
The lawmaker had on several occasions evaded questions on his continuous membership of the LP owing to the crisis rocking the party.
Imasuen’s overt romance with the Edo APC as he is often seen in public functions alongside notable leaders of the APC in the state also fueled the rumours of his imminent defection.
Another source within Edo APC told Tribune Online that Senator Imasuen enjoyed cordial relationships with many members of the ruling party in the state, and at home with Governor Monday Okpebholo, who was his colleague in the senate before the latter was elected governor.
“You can discount the relationship between Senator Imasuen and Governor Monday Okpebholo, who himself was a senator before he was elected governor.
“It is natural that the governor would want his friend to be in the same party with him,” the APC chieftain stated.
Tribune Online also gathered that the Special Adviser to Governor Monday Okpebholo on Political Mobilisation and Engagement, Mr. Eugene Utubor, on Tuesday night visited Imasuen in a bid to convince him to join the APC.
The source, who was privy to the clandestine visit, which lasted for several hours, disclosed that discussions at the meeting centered on having the LP senator in the APC to support the developmental strides of Governor Okpebholo.
The meeting, the source stressed, was fruitful, as the senator was quoted to have commended Okpebholo’s efforts at driving development in the state.
While showing gratitude for Utobor’s visit, Senator Imasuen was further quoted to have noted that “The governor has done remarkably well in such a short time.
“It is crucial that we come together to ensure the success of his vision for our people.
“Every well-meaning Edo citizen is encouraged to rally around the governor as he works diligently for our collective progress.”
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