Neda Bernards Imasuen: The Disbarred Lawyer Who Became a Senator

From Benin City to the Nigerian Senate, Neda Bernards Imasuen’s journey has transited a straight path as a lawyer, international consultant and now Senator representing Edo South under the banner of the Labour Party.

Neda Imasuen is a Nigerian lawyer-turned-politician who, in 2023, was elected to represent the Edo South Senatorial District in the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on the Labour Party platform. 

He is most known for his overseas legal career, his sudden entry into national politics and his role as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges & Public Petitions.

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Born on 29 June 1958 in Benin City, Edo State, Neda Imasuen grew up in the heart of one of Nigeria’s most historic cultural capitals. 

He attended St Thomas’ Catholic School, Ogbe, Benin City, for his primary education, followed by Edo Boys High School in Benin City, where he obtained his West African School Certificate. 

For his tertiary education, he graduated with an LL.B degree from the University of Maiduguri and was admitted to the Nigerian Bar as a Solicitor & Advocate of the Supreme Court of Nigeria in 1985. 

He later earned a Master of Public Administration (MPA) from Long Island University, Brooklyn Campus, New York, in 2004. 

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Before full immersion into politics, Imasuen built a professional career as a lawyer and consultant. He practised law in Nigeria after his admission in 1985, and later moved to the United States, where he was admitted to the New York bar on 16 September 1992. 

His U.S. legal career, however, became controversial. In May 2010, the Appellate Division of the New York Supreme Court disbarred Neda Imasuen for default in responding to a grievance committee about client-representation misconduct. 

After this, he returned to Nigeria and reportedly worked as a consultant on development projects with institutions such as the World Bank and the European Union before shifting fully into politics. 

The pivot from an overseas legal/consultancy career back to Nigeria was a key transition moment, culminating in his 2023 Senate election.

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In 2022–2023, Imasuen formally entered the political arena, contesting under the Labour Party for the Edo South Senatorial seat. He emerged victorious in the 2023 general elections, unseating the incumbents from the major parties. 

• Elected Senator, Edo South Senatorial District, in June 2023.
  

• Appointed Chair of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges & Public Petitions, soon into his term.
  

• In June 2025, he publicly announced intentions to defect from the Labour Party to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), citing alignment with the federal government for the development of Edo South.

While early in his senatorial tenure, Imasuen has initiated development projects targeted at his constituency. For example:

• He flagged off the construction of the 2-kilometre Irohkin–Abudu road in Orhionmwon LGA of Edo South on 30 September 2025, aimed at boosting access to markets and reducing rural-urban migration.
  

• He publicly emphasises focus on rural communities in Edo South that have felt neglected in infrastructure.
  

• He organised training for farmers and supplied over 12,000 cocoa seedlings and 9,000 plantain suckers, alongside farming tools and stipends, to boost agricultural productivity in his constituency.

However, his tenure is not without controversy: His overseas disbarment has raised ethical questions regarding his chairmanship of the Ethics Committee. 

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Senator Imasuen is married and has children, but he keeps a relatively low profile on his family life. 

His religious background is Catholic, as indicated by his primary schooling at St Thomas’ Catholic School. He hails from the Edo/Bini ethnic group and is a native of Benin City.

In terms of lifestyle and public perception: He presents himself as a development-orientated leader focusing on rural upliftment in Edo South, while critics highlight his past and question constituency deliverables. 

There is no publicly verifiable figure for his net worth. He had business interests in legal consultancy and international development projects prior to politics.

Though details of real estate, cars or holdings alleged have not been reliably documented. His past legal troubles are in the public record.

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• Ethics Committee Role (2025): As Chairman of the Senate Ethics Committee, he presided over the suspension of fellow Senator Natasha Akpoti‑Uduaghan, triggering fresh scrutiny of his overseas legal past.
  

• Allegations of Fraud (2025): Media reports alleged he was involved in a U.S. fraud scheme tied to bank loans exceeding $25 million and fled back to Nigeria; he denies any wrongdoing publicly.

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Neda Imasuen is a figure of contrasts: a lawyer with international training, a first-time senator riding the 2023 Labour Party wave, yet shadowed by past legal issues in the U.S.

His focus on Edo South, especially rural infrastructure, marks a positive start, but his chairmanship of ethics and his own legal background raise questions about consistency between role and record.

For Edo South constituents, his legacy will hinge less on headlines and more on delivery: roads, jobs, schools, and health centres.

He is best known for his rapid rise, overseas credentials and bold project launches — but will be judged by action.