Senator Neda Imasuen Dumps Labour Party For APC Despite U.S. Fraud Indictment History

Senator Neda Bernards Imasuen, who currently represents Edo South in the National Assembly, has announced his decision to defect from the Labour Party (LP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on June 12 — Nigeria’s Democracy Day.

Speaking in Benin City to mark his second year in office, Imasuen said internal turmoil within the Labour Party had made it difficult for him to fulfill his political mission, prompting his move to the APC.

“I will be leaving the Labour Party to the APC as the current disarray in the LP will not help me achieve my aim for my people,” he said. “My movement will also help align Edo South with the federal government and bring development to our people.”

The senator, who chairs the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, is one of several opposition politicians who have recently crossed over to the ruling party in pursuit of political alignment and influence.

However, Imasuen’s political journey remains shadowed by serious allegations from his past in the United States. A 2023 investigation by Peoples Gazette revealed that the senator was implicated in a $25 million mortgage fraud scheme before fleeing to Nigeria. According to U.S. court documents and FBI findings, Imasuen was disbarred for life in New York after mishandling client funds and ignoring court subpoenas.

He was named in a federal indictment as the lawyer who facilitated fraudulent transactions in a criminal conspiracy that targeted more than 30 financial institutions, including Citibank, HSBC, Wells Fargo, and Lehman Brothers. Prosecutors alleged that Imasuen and his associates used straw buyers with high credit scores to fraudulently secure loans, a violation of federal banking laws.

Despite his controversial past, Imasuen has maintained a steady rise in Nigerian politics and now prepares to officially join the APC, aligning himself with President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

His defection is expected to further intensify political activity in Edo State ahead of future elections.