Imasuagbon, Former Edo Labour Party Guber Aspirant, Supporters Defect to ADC

Former Edo State governorship aspirant under the Labour Party, Kenneth Imasuagbon, popularly known as the “Rice Man”, has officially joined the African Democratic Congress (ADC), accompanied by a large number of his loyal supporters.

Imasuagbon, who lost the Labour Party ticket to Olumide Akpata in the 2024 Edo governorship race, was formally received into the ADC at the party’s state secretariat in Benin City on Wednesday.

He immediately picked up his membership card, signaling his full commitment to the party’s cause ahead of the 2025 political season.

Speaking at the event, Imasuagbon said his move was driven by deep disappointment in the Labour Party, which he had once considered a vehicle for national transformation.

He described the ADC as the only credible alternative capable of rescuing Nigeria from its current state of economic hardship and political disillusionment.

“I saw the Labour Party as a rescuer, but unfortunately, it turned out to be a sham,” he said. “I have found a credible vehicle—an alternative that is genuinely for change, that wants to reduce the price of food, that loves the common man, the Okada rider, the widow, and the students. That alternative is the ADC.”

The veteran politician, who has previously contested under both the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), lamented the economic realities in the country, particularly the soaring cost of living. He noted that the skyrocketing prices have prevented him from continuing his long-standing tradition of distributing rice to the poor during festive seasons.

“A bag of rice that used to cost ₦7,500 now goes for over ₦100,000,” he lamented. “I can no longer buy rice to share with the poor people and widows of Edo State. I’m tired. I’m tired because I can no longer buy fuel. Some years ago, fuel was ₦65 per litre—today, it is nearly ₦1,000.”

Expressing his frustration over youth unemployment and the general state of the nation, Imasuagbon declared his readiness to lead what he called “the battle for change,” calling on well-meaning Nigerians to join the ADC in what he described as a genuine movement for transformation.

“We want to make Nigeria and Edo better than we met them,” he said. “I am not satisfied with the poverty in the land. I am calling on all Nigerians to join in. I am ready to lead the battle for change.”
In his remarks, ADC Edo State Chairman, Kennedy Odion, welcomed Imasuagbon to the party, describing him as “a man of the people” whose presence would further energize the ADC’s efforts to challenge the status quo. Odion stated that the ADC was a “moving train” that would soon attract more politically conscious Nigerians disenchanted with the existing power structures.

“The road to rescue Nigeria may be rough, but it shall surely become a reality,” Odion said. “The ADC is here for every Nigerian who desires real and lasting change.”