By Raphael Okhiria, Bassey O. Bassey
The senator representing Edo South Senatorial District of Edo State in the Upper House of National Assembly (NASS), Sen. Neda Imasuen, has launched his second-term ambition with a strong appeal to the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in his Edo south district to emulate the good steps of Edo North and Edo Central Senatorial districts, respectively by giving him the return ticket to the senate unopposed.
The Senator remarked that the leadership of the party in Edo North and Edo Central Senatorial Districts have both agreed to give their tickets to their serving senators so that they can go back to the national assembly to represent them.
Senator Imasuen who is the senate committee chairman on Ethics, Legislative and Public Acts, in the National Assembly, made the appeal when he visited the leadership of the senatorial district at the house of the senatorial leader of the APC and former deputy governor of the state, Rt. Hon. Dr. Pius Odubu in Benin City.
He informed the party leaders that if he is returned to the senate, he will automatically become a high ranking officer, unlike a new beginner, urging his leaders to take progressive steps like the Edo North and Edo Central Senatorial Districts.
He stated that the Senate is the highest law-making body in the country made up of only 109 senators.
“And it’s a body that comprises who’s who in Nigeria. And so, it’s not a place for a starter. When a starter goes, he goes to learn.
“And the period of learning is over as far as I’m concerned because we are in a period now that we have to have a ranking senator.
“And now we are beginning to change ourselves when the Edo North is sending their senator back to the rank. Edo Central is sending its senator back to the rank. And Edo South says they want to send a fresher? I mean, he’s just going to be on the sideline and watch things happen, and he cannot influence it. And so, it is in our own interest for me to go back there.
“And I chair one of the most sensitive committees in the chambers, in the Senate. And with that, I have public national exposure, as it were. And thank God I’m also close to the leadership.
“So, going back is an added advantage to this. I have a voice. And I speak my voice. And so, I appeal to our leaders to put sentiments aside.
“Let us do things in accordance with what will benefit us as Edo South Senatorial District people because if we do that, the only conclusion we can come to is that Senator Neda Imasuen should go back to the rank to be able to represent Edo South properly”, Imasuen said.
He disclosed that his opportunity to occupy a vital position at the national assembly at the moment was because there were a lot of first-timers in the house, noting that such an opportunity might not be available the second time.
Because of this, he urged the leadership of his party to do all in their power to send him back to become a ranking officer for the benefit of the people.
He listed his various achievements to include some of the following, even as he promised to improve on them if re-elected.
“From the onset, our policy thrust has been Local Economic Development. We have chosen to invest in people, in education, in training and retraining, and in the strategic empowerment of our youth and women, with deliberate focus on the girl-child.
“We have facilitated scholarships for students across the district, and we are set to commence the renovation and equipping of selected public schools.
“We have organized vocational and skill acquisition programmes in ICT, tailoring, welding, bag and shoe making, agriculture, and agro-processing, because dignity begins with the ability to earn.
“Our defining intervention has been in healthcare. We have taken medical care beyond hospital walls to the doorsteps of our people.
“To reduce maternal and infant mortality, we revived the time-tested role of traditional birth attendants, equipping them to provide prenatal and antenatal services to women who cannot access formal health centres.
“This programme is implemented under the strict supervision of the Edo State Ministry of Health in collaboration with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency to ensure compliance with medical standards.
“In road infrastructure, we have completed the first phase of two critical projects: the 3.5km Osasere Osayogie/Utekon Bypass link road, with dual side drainage, in Ovia North East LGA.
“We have also completed 2km of the Irokhin Road in Orhionmwon LGA. The extension of this road, from Ogan alongside others, is captured in the 2026 Appropriation Act, among others,” Senator Neda Imasuen posited.
The senatorial leader and former deputy governor of the state, Rt. Hon. Pius Odubu, had earlier extolled the leadership quality of the serving senator.
He, however urged Senator Neda Imasuen to go about his campaign peacefully and that he should avoid the campaign of calumny, noting that at the appropriate time, the leaders and members of the party will choose the best qualified person to represent the district.
The creme de la creme in Edo south gathered in solidarity with the serving senator at the event.