By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor

To some, he is Nigeria’s version of Donald Trump, a rich man using his wealth to achieve political ends. To others, he is a Mother Theresa, identifying with the poor through his periodic gesture of rice to the downtrodden.

Whatever depiction, lawyer, educationist, philanthropist turned politician, Kenneth Imansuagbon is unbending in his political pursuit and trouble to the political establishment in Edo State.

As Mr. Trump has come to upset the establishment in America’s Republican Party, Mr. Imasuagbon has become a sort of trouble to the political establishment in his native Edo State with his unwavering pursuit for the governorship contest.

Governorship ticket

The contests of 2007 and 2012, somewhat left an unsavoury taste in the mouth of many enthusiasts of Imansuagbon after what they alleged as conspiracies against him.

Imasuagbon was one of the first promoters of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN in Edo State. However, in the quest to grab the state from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, the party leadership in Abuja and Edo State reportedly sidelined him and offered the governorship ticket to the former unionist turned politician, Adams Oshiomhole. Peeved, Imansuagbon moved over to the PDP and contributed his success to the defeat of the ACN in the 2007 election. That result was, however, upturned. In 2012 still in pursuit of his goal, Imansuagbon by now popularly hailed on the streets as the Rice Man on account of the periodic handout of uncooked rice to the people was a major contender for the governorship ticket of the PDP. The primaries ended on a note of controversy leaving almost everyone else but the winner, the former army general, Charles Airhiavbere, dissatisfied.

Hours after the primaries, Oshiomhole who was seeking re-election on the ticket of the ACN was reported to have visited Imasuagbon who came second to woo him and cause him to rebel against the PDP leaders who supposedly fixed the primary contest. Imasuagbon, however, bided his time and did not defect to the APC until two years ago.

In his third outing, he is about the most experienced on the field having sought the governorship ticket two previous times.

•Kenneth Imasuagbon, the Rice Man in action2

Since his first and second outings, he has added another moniker to himself. Besides being hailed as the Rice Man, some students especially those from the University of Benin also call him as the i-pad Man, upon his gestures of the Apple device to students.

Ordinarily, Imasuagbon is entering into the contest with a major disadvantage that he is bereft of a godfather unlike some of his fellow contestants some who have the advantage of receiving the support of the incumbent or of party leaders in Abuja.

Another seeming challenge for Imasuagbon is that he is from Edo Central, the smallest of the three senatorial districts in the state. The assumption is that the next governor should come from Edo South, the largest of the three senatorial districts.

Associates of Imasuagbon, however, do not see any disadvantage in his place of birth. Even more remarkable is the fact that some of his most vociferous supporters come from Edo South among whom is Dr. Isaiah Osifo, who served as chief of staff in the Oserheinmen Osunbor administration.

In throwing his support for Imasuagbon, Osifo told Vanguard:

“Governments all over the world is about catering for the vulnerable. The essence of government is to care for those who are not able to care for themselves. The man has that vision to care for the weak, to care for the vulnerable in the society, orphanage children, the poor and the low class in the society. He has been spending his time and his resources to pay attention to this kind of people, and I believe that this is the main philosophy of government and stands to represent a modern administration that cares for those who are deprived by the dynamics of a competitive and neo-capitalist society.”

Osifo also throws up the fact that electing Imasuagbon would also help to achieve political balance in the state.

“I believe that we in Edo State must not ignore the importance of political balancing in our society, and that is reflected by the principle of zoning. By zoning if it is the issue some are canvassing, I think Ken Imasuagbon is the only one that is qualified to have the governorship because of zoning because Edo North has had eight years, Edo South has had eight years; it is now the turn of Edo Central Senatorial District.”

Another political player from the Bini speaking Edo South, Orobosa Omo-Ojo who held three cabinet positions in the Oshiomhole cabinet gives reasons why the momentum in his perspective is with Imasuagbon.

“First and foremost, Edo people are supporting Kenneth Imasuagbon because he is the man that can win the election. Let’s not forget that after the primaries there will be the general election and it will be eight weeks for us to campaign and we don’t have time for people like Obaseki who are strangers politically to start learning the ropes and Oshiomhole is not as popular as he used to be for him to take somebody’s hand and climb the soap box and introduce him.

“So we need somebody who has political followership of his own and Ken has been around since the inception of APC. And his philanthropic gestures are such that if he stands by the roadside now Okada riders, market women, bread sellers will all mob him wanting to touch him.”

He also notes Imasuagbon’s entrepreneurial skills and his ability to unify the state’s disparate ethnic hue.   Two, Ken will bring Edo State out of the woods economically. He started from scratch, and he has taken his schools and other businesses to the level they are now.

“Any other aspirant that will come in now will divide the party. He is a unity candidate, and it is not about tribe because I don’t believe about rotation of power. I am from Edo South I have been special adviser on Culture and Tourism and have been commissioner for transport and commissioner for art, culture and tourism, and I just believe that this man is good for the job,” he said. Giving his reasons for entering the fray, Imasuagbon said in an interview that the welfare of the populace would be his primary motif in government.

“Since 25 years ago when I left university, I have been creating jobs, and that is my cardinal objective when I take over from Adams Oshiomhole.

“Secondly, my duty would be to strengthen our school system. Our school system is very weak. Gov. Oshiomhole has done his best, but that is not where we want to be as a people. I am well-equipped as an educationist to make schools work and give teachers hope and restore their pride. When I come in, schooling would be very interesting to students in Edo State. “