From Tony Osauzo, Benin
A governorship aspirant of the Labour Party, Kenneth Imansuangbon, has asked the leadership of the party to declare him winner of the party primary held in Edo State.
Imansuangbon, a Lawyer, also gave the party leadership a one week ultimatum to declare him winner, failing which he would institute legal action against the party.
Recall that ex-National President of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Olumide Akpata, was declared winner of the LP’s primary held last Friday in Benin City.
After his declaration, three other candidates, Hilton Idahosa, Anderson Asemota and Monday Mawah have emerged, laying claims to the LP Governorship ticket.
Imansuangbon, in a statement in Benin, alleged that the processes leading to the conduct of the ward congresses were corrupted by several irregularities despite assurances from the leadership of the party for a fair level playing field.
He condemned the processes of the LP primary and said the APC and the PDP were very strategic by picking their candidates from Edo Central senatorial district, pointing out that if the LP was serious in winning the governorship election it would learn from the strategic calculation of the other major parties.
Imansuangbon further alleged that the processes were skewed by the National Chairman of the party, Julius Abure and the state Chairman, Kelly Ogbaloi to favour Akpata.
“I want to first of all use this opportunity to thank my well wishers and staff of Pacesetters Schools for standing by me during my political sojourn. I also extend my thanks to Edo people and my supporters across the state.
“My interest in politics is to change the narratives of Edo and improve on the lives of the people. I want an Edo where jobs would be available, where food will be cheap, where our teeming unemployed youth will be meaningfully engaged but the godfathers refused democracy to strive in Edo.
“After 21 years in politics, I do not think it is proper or politically right for political parties to skew party primary to favour a particular candidate. I hope, one day, democracy will be allowed to thrive in Edo.
“I have worked hard in the last 21 years to impact on lives of our suffering Edo people with my hard earned personal resources, unfortunately anti-democratic forces will not allow the free will of the people to prevail. I am issuing a one week ultimatum to the leadership of LP to reverse the recognition of Akpata as our party’s candidate. I should be declared winner”, Imansuangbon stated.
Recall that Imansuangbon, popularly known as “Rice man” because of his yearly distribution of rice to the poor in Edo State, had previously failed to win party primaries in both the All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party.
In 2011, an intervention by late Chief Tony Anenih caused him victory at the PDP primary. In 2016, he contested under the APC and lost to Governor Godwin Obaseki. In 2020, he stepped down for Governor Obaseki to win the PDP primary.