A former governorship aspirant in Edo State, Barr Ken Imansuangbon, popularly known as “Rice Man”, has resigned his membership of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo.
In a statement he personally signed, the Edo politician, who became a household name in the state for his free annual rice distribution, was, however, silent on his reasons for leaving the party.
The letter which was addressed to the PDP State Chairman in Edo, Mr Tony Aziegbemi, was copied to his Esan South-East Ward 2 and the local government council chairmen of the party.
It reads: “Since 2009 in what was tagged the ‘Ewohimi Declaration’ where I had joined the People’s Democratic Party, PDP has remained a memorable journey for me and I want to thank God almighty for his benevolence.
“The course of my political journey in the PDP had afforded me the opportunity to make great and wonderful friends and had shared great moments with which I will cherish for a lifetime.
“However, the reality of the moment has made it decisive that there comes a time in a man’s life where he has to move ahead.
“Consequently, therefore I hereby tender my resignation of the membership of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP. Once again, I thank the entire leadership and body of the PDP.”
Imansuangbon, who has consistently contested for governorship elections in Edo since 2007 on different political party platforms, is believed to be interested in the forthcoming 2024 gubernatorial election.
In the 2020 guber poll in which Governor Godwin Obaseki switched from the then ruling APC to PDP, Imansuangbon was among the aspirants who stepped down and allowed Obaseki to clinch the party’s ticket.
Even before then, he had jostled for the guber ticket of the parties in which he had the opportunity of being a member.
The governorship of Edo State would appear to be Imansuangbon’s life-long ambition.
Will he be able to realise this ambition this time round in the manner in which President Bola Tinubh has realised his life-long ambition oc becoming President of Nigeria?
Whereas Imansuangbon’s guber jostle has become a serial venture, Tinubu’s presidential run was strategically and clinically one-off enterprise that has been hugely successful.
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