Lucky Eghosasere Imasuen is a man that will take you a few minutes of intense studying on a first meeting to understand. He is like an open book that you can read through in minutes.
A story that he keeps echoing in his campaign in the 18 local government areas of Edo State as he prepares to succeed Godwin Obaseki in the state Government House situated in Osadebey Avenue, GRA Benin by November 12th, is how in his growing up days he sold plantain and tomatoes on the streets of Benin City viz Owoseni, Yoruba Street, Ugbangue, Mission Road, James Watt, Forestry, Lawani etc.
He goes on to recollect how he joined his mates in the children games of setting traps for different kinds of animals; snail farming etc. which are cooked for delicious meals.
Imasuen will then delve into how he started schooling at an old age whereby his classmates thought he was their newly employed Geography Teacher. By the time he talked about how he found his way to God’s own country in 1984 with only £50(fifty pounds) on him you begin to see that he is a man who is as simple as they come and have nothing to hide.
In America, Imasuen, according to his story, started off as a night watchman and drove taxi cab to earn a living. At a period having observed that there is openings to set up a security company did just that becoming the first Nigerian to own a security company in New York City. At the height of its glory the company boast of over a hundred workers with about 80 of them of Bendel State (now Edo and Delta States) extraction.
Much later, he decided to return to his fatherland to contribute his quota to nation building. One thing that he felt uncomfortable with on his coming was that most of the government schools in the state lacked desks and chairs for the pupils. Without prompting he got these items and distributed them in large quantities to the schools to ease the sufferings the pupils were going through.
Soon he joined the political fray and he was able to secure the governorship ticket of the then All Peoples Party(APP) with Chief Dan Orbih(now South South Vice Chairman of the PDP) as his running mate. He disclosed that the powers that be told him to step down as the state has been allocated to the PDP which he refused even as he was offered millions of naira as gratification.
As he narrates his story he calls prominent names, places and occurrences around that period which his audience from their gesticulation confirm to be true and thus they resonate with.
From his posturing you will agree that he has nothing to hide or is he coming to the state seat of power to acquire wealth illegally by way of filling his account with the common patrimony of the Edo people. To drive home his point he avers that he respects the records of good governance laid down by Professor Ambrose Alli(late), General Samuel Ogbemudia(late) and Comrade Aliu Oshiomhole in their different tenure as governor of the state and cherish doing more than them.
He also talks about making the state secure by expanding EARS(Edo Arms Response System) which he initiated in his days as the Chief of Staff and later deputy governor of the state and which recorded huge success in curbing crime. He promise to set up more base stations of the outfit in Ekpoma, Auchi and Benin City when he assumes office as governor.
On the issue of entrepreneurship, Imasuen said that farm settlements would be created and farmers would be supported with loans that have soft conditions attached.
On party loyalty, he promise the All Progressives Congress(APC) faithful that he will not make any appointment without the input of the stakeholders and that he will give contracts to capable and credible contractors from the locality.
He challenges his audience to keep a record of his campaign promises which they can always refer him to whenever they’re in doubt.
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