By Ogochukwu Isioma
A former Edo State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant, Barrister Kenneth Imasuagbon, popularly known as ‘Riceman’, on Friday, formally joined the opposition Labour Party (LP) in Edo State.
Imasuagbon had on Tuesday in a letter addressed to the Edo state chairman of the PDP and his Esan South-East Local Government Area Ward chairman, announced his resignation from the PDP.
He was received into the opposition Labour Party in the company of his wife, Kate, and supporters at the LP National Secretariat in Abuja by the Julius Abure-led national executive of the Labour Party.
Speaking at the ceremony, Imasuagbon assured the leadership of the Labour Party that more people in Edo across the 192 political wards are ready to join the party ahead of the upcoming 2024 Edo governorship election.
Imasuagbon lauds Obi, OBIdients
Imasuagbon at the ceremony showered praises on the LP’s Presidential candidate, Peter Obi and his running mate, Datti Baba-Ahmed for championing the course of new and better Nigeria, noting that they remain President and Vice in minds and hearts of Nigerians.
The Edo State politician said Labour Party has come to stay and will continue to give fresh hope and leadership to Nigerians whom he noted have been pauperised by the APC and PDP, describing his 20 years sojourn in the APC and PDP as full of pain and deceit.
“I want to thank the Labour party for this opportunity and for giving Nigerians fresh hope. My political history is well known. I ran to PDP little did I know that I was running from frying pan to fire, PDP and APC are birds of the same feathers, they don’t love Nigerians but their pockets.
“I must also thank the youths of Nigerians who supported the Labour Party for what I failed to see in the Obidient and Datti movement. Today, we know who the president is and he is in the minds of Nigerians. The world is watching the courts and to see what they will do. This is the party for the Nigerian people, students and the very weak.”
LP ready to receive more Nigerians — Abure
Responding, the National Chairman of the Labour Party, Barr Julius Abure, while welcoming Imasuagbon into the party, called on those who are still sitting on the fence to join the LP now in the movement to rescue Nigeria.
He said, “On behalf of the national leaders of the party, I heartily welcome you to the national secretariat. We are happy you joined the party to rescue Nigeria and Edo state.
“In the general election our party provided the most viable alternative and our candidates are the best and that is why the people came out in their numbers to support the party. Just like what Ken said it is clear to every Nigerians that we won the election.”
On the next year’s gubernatorial election in Edo State, Abure assured that the Labour Party will offer equal opportunity to all irrespective of when they join the party, adding that there is no godfather in the Labour Party.
Backstory
On Tuesday, Imasuagbon, who became a household name in Edo state for his annual distribution of free bags of rice to the people, tendered his resignation from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party in Edo.
He hinged his decision to quit the PDP on “the reality of the moment”, which he noted have made it decisive that ”there comes a time in a man’s life where he has to move ahead.”
Imasuagbon, who has consistently contested for governorship elections in Edo state since 2007 on the APC and PDP platforms, is believed to be interested in the upcoming Edo 2024 gubernatorial election.
In the 2020 guber poll in which incumbent Governor Godwin Obaseki switched from the then ruling APC to PDP, Imasuagbon was among the aspirants who stepped down and allowed Obaseki to clinch the party’s ticket.
