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By Lawrence Agbo
Despite the intense controversy shadowing the just-concluded All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial primaries in Edo State, the incumbent lawmaker representing Edo South, Senator Neda Imasuen, has shut the door on any potential defection from the party.
Appearing on ARISE NEWS, the lawmaker made it clear that while he vehemently rejects the currently circulating, unofficial primary results, his commitment to the APC remains a matter of personal conviction rather than political opportunism.
The Edo South primary has been plagued by allegations of widespread irregularities, but Imasuen insists he is staying put. Addressing rumors that the friction might push him to jump ship once again, the lawmaker countered that he is “not a forum shopper” for votes.
“With or without the Electoral Act that would have prevented anyone from jumping ships now, I would not have jumped ships… If I believe in a cause, I stay with it. I’m with the APC and I will be with the APC,” Imasuen asserted, adding his full weight behind the economic and political policies of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
For critics pointing to his past departure from the Labour Party (LP)—under whose umbrella he originally won his Senate seat in 2023—Imasuen maintained that his transition to the APC was born out of sheer political survival rather than a habit of party-hopping.
He described the LP’s internal structure in Edo State as having completely “collapsed” at the time of his exit, leaving him with a choice between moving to the APC or watching his constituency’s representation disintegrate. “I would do it again because at the time that I defected, the truth is I had no option,” he defended.
Turning his focus to the highly disputed primary results, Imasuen took a hardline stance against parallel declarations and premature victory laps. He insisted that by party rules, only the APC National Working Committee (NWC) in Abuja holds the legal authority to tally and broadcast the official results.
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Because the body has yet to release a definitive statement, Imasuen stated he simply does not recognize any self-proclaimed winners in Edo South.
Imasuen’s refusal to accept the current local figures stems from what he described as a fundamentally compromised voting process across the 77 wards in his senatorial district.
In a sharp critique of the state’s internal geopolitics, Imasuen voiced deep frustration over how Edo South has been handled compared to Edo North and Edo Central. While those districts secured stability and legislative continuity for their sitting senators through peaceful consensus arrangements, Edo South has been thrown into disarray.
Imasuen laid the blame on “external factors” outside the district, claiming powerbrokers with zero stake in the local community are manipulating the process to install handpicked candidates. “Edo South has become a trading bloc of interest for people who have no business with Edo State,” he remarked. “It’s laughable.”
Warning that a freshman lawmaker would take years just to learn the ropes of the National Assembly—subsequently costing Edo South vital committee assignments and principal offices—Imasuen urged the party leadership to look toward long-term strategy rather than short-term divisions.
Looking ahead, the lawmaker called for honest dialogue and total reconciliation as the party eventually pivots toward the 2027 general elections.
“What has just happened is unfortunate,” Imasuen warned.
“If we are not cohesive, if we are not together, it will be a problem.”
