Senator Neda Imasuen has dismissed the ongoing coalition talks among opposition parties ahead of the 2027 general elections, describing them as a “pack of cards” destined to fall apart before the polls.
Speaking during a live programme on Edo Broadcasting Service (EBS) on Friday, the Edo South senator maintained that the coalition posed no real threat to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election bid.
“These gentlemen and ladies forming this coalition are strange bedfellows,” Imasuen said. “They have only one thing in common – to unseat the President. Such inordinate ambition cannot hold for long.”
He praised President Tinubu’s “courage” in making tough economic decisions, citing the controversial tax reform bill as a prime example. According to him, unlike past leaders who would have “backslid” for political gain, Tinubu pressed ahead despite the risk to his second-term prospects.
Imasuen also backed recent commendations from World Trade Organization Director-General, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, over the government’s economic stabilisation efforts. “Her remarks are based on facts, not partisanship,” he said, pointing to improved predictability in the Naira’s exchange rate as a relief for manufacturers and traders.
On palliatives, the senator revealed that he had provided food and support packages during festive seasons for vulnerable residents of Edo South, but stressed that the ultimate goal was to create an economy where citizens no longer depended on handouts. He further urged the Federal Government to press ahead with a national census to aid long-term planning.
Imasuen took a swipe at former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi’s promise to “fix Nigeria” in four years, calling it unrealistic. “Even a saint from heaven cannot solve our myriad problems in one term,” he said.
On the relevance and as chairman of the Senate Ethics Committee, he highlighted cases where the committee intervened to reinstate unlawfully dismissed workers, resolve promotion disputes, and secure justice for victims of abuse by security agencies.
