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Tag: Ifeanyi Araraume

  • Imo: Uzodinma, Araraume boycott Peace Parley

    …as Nwosu, others sign pact

     

    The governorship candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Hope Uzodinma and that of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Ifeanyi Araraume, Tuesday boycotted the signing of a Peace pact by candidates participating in the general election in Imo State.

    Also absent at the event organised by the Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC) was a former governor of the State and candidate of the Accord party, Ikedi Ohakim.

    Meanwhile the governorship candidates of the Action Alliance (AA), Uche Nwosu and that of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Emeka Ihedioha, signed the Agreement alongside other candidates including Ikenna Emmanuel of the Change Advocacy Party (CAP), Linus Okorie of the Young Progressive Party (YPP), among others.

    Addressing the candidates shortly before the signing of the Agreement which was witnessed by Security Chiefs, Officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), religious leaders and journalists, the State Commissioner of Police, Dasuki Galadanchi, urged the politicians to play by the rules and jettison all forms of violence.

    According to him, the State has witnessed relative peace when compared to other states in the Federation, as a result of the “cooperation and support of the people of the state”.

    He said, “You will agree with me that this hard earned peace and tranquility we enjoy and experience in Imo State should be guarded jealously, thus, we have no other option than to ensure this endures before, during and after the elections”.

    In his brief speech, the State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Pro. Francis Ezeonu assured that INEC is prepared to conduct credible election that will meet the aspirations of all the parties

    He restated his commitment to provide level playing ground for all the political parties participating in the election, while pleading with the candidates to abide by rules and regulations guiding the election.

  • Only God, not Okorocha can determine my political future – Araraume

    Sen. Ifeanyi Araraume says his political future can only be determined by God and not by Gov. Rochas Okorocha.

    Araraume, one of the front-line governorship aspirants in Imo, on the platform of All Progressives Congress ( APC ), was reacting to a resent claim by Okorocha that he would retire him from politics next year.

    In a statement signed by his media aide, Mr Ikechukwu Ogbenna, said he was more grounded politician than Okorocha, adding that he was relying on God and the people to achieve his dream.

    It would be recalled that Okorocha in his recent claim, said he had retired former governor of Imo Mr Achike Udenwa, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyawu, and Sen Arthur Nzeribe from active politics.

    The governor also said that he would retire Sen. Ifeanyi Araraume in 2019.

    Araraume said he is busy assisting APC to strengthen its structures in Imo and advised Okorocha to invest his time on issues that were meaningful to an average Imo person.

    NAN

  • ‘You cannot govern Imo’, Okorocha blasts Araraume

    ‘You cannot govern Imo’, Okorocha blasts Araraume

     

    The cold war between the Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha and former Senator Ifeanyi Araraume, who is nursing governorship ambition under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has deepened.

    The Imo governor on Tuesday dismissed the former Senator’s ambition as unrealistic, adding that he cannot even win the party primaries, talk less of wining the main governorship election.

    Governor Okorocha in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Sam Onwuemeodo, said, “I want to say this for the sake of emphasis. Senator Ifeanyi Araraume cannot win the ticket of APC for the 2019 governorship election in the State and can never govern the State. So people should not allow themselves to be deceived”.

    The statement continued that, “In 2007, Araraume won the ticket of PDP and failed the main election. In 2011, he also had the ticket of ACN and came fourth in the election. In 2015, he also failed the PDP Primary. So what magic would he perform in 2019?

    “Again, if he sees himself as a Political force, let him do what Rochas Okorocha did in 2011 by taking the ticket of APGA that was not on ground and won his election by defeating a sitting governor of PDP extraction and in 2015, when he defiled all the PDP onslaughts with Federal might and joined the Merger that gave birth to APC at the risk of his life and his second term bid and also won his election. Let Senator Araraume pick the ticket of any of the parties, contest and win and we will celebrate him. He should not always be working to undo sitting governors to become governor”.

    Read Also: Okorocha advocates closer ties between Igbo traders and Customs

    It added further that, “some of these people were among those calling Rochas, OkoroHausa, Alhaji in Government House and Buhari-Rochas and accusing him of coming to Islamize Igboland and Nigeria in general.

    “Name-dropping has also become old fashioned in Politics. In 2007 and 2011, it was Chief Tony Aninih’s name that was been dropped. Today, they have begun to drop the name of Chief John Oyegun. Powerful Politicians in the real sense of the word do not drop names”.

    The statement which apparently a reaction to the Araraume’s alleged claim that he was not in support of the elongation of the term of office of the APC National Chairman, noted further that, “it is unfortunate that while we have continued to exercise caution and demonstrate apparent decency and discipline in our media outings even as they concern some of the Politicians and governorship aspirants in the State, few of them have always thrown caution to the wind by thinking that the only way they can make impact or make a headway in their Politics and Political pursuits is by embarking on falsehood and sponsoring cheap blackmail against Governor Rochas Okorocha.

    “As a responsible government and as responsible people we do not trade on propaganda, falsehood and blackmail. We do not tell lies. They have sponsored lies against the governor over the outcome of the APC NEC meeting held in Abuja on Tuesday, February 27, 2018 in which the tenure of the National Chairman Chief John Oyegun and others were extended.

    “The governor is the strongest pillar of APC in the South-East and one of the pillars in the Country. And he has remained supportive in all ramifications to the John Oyegun-led National Exco of the Party. And there is no reason anybody should begin to create the impression that Governor Okorocha was against the extension of Chief Oyegun’s tenure.

    “The APC governors who are all members of the APC Governors’ Forum which governor Okorocha heads supported the extension of tenure across the board. And with that, the governors are the greatest beneficiaries of the extension.

    “You may ask where these elements were when the PDP foot soldiers were invading Imo and South-East in general with Soldiers and other Security agents. Rochas made the survival of APC in the South-East possible, having a Senator, three House of Representatives, Majority in the House of Assembly (23 out of 27), and gave President Muhammadu Buhari the highest number of votes in 2015 in the South-East. And APC won that election but the PDP people doctored the whole exercise with the help of Security agencies and INEC then. Time will expose these folks who think that their Political survival lies with blackmail against Okorocha”.

    Meanwhile, the governor has congratulated Oyegun and other members of the APC National Working Committee (NWC) of All Progressives Congress, APC over the extension of their tenure by one year.

    The governor also congratulated States, Local Governments and Ward Executives of the party who also benefitted from the extension.

    He noted that “such lofty action would not have been possible without the able leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari, the state governors and key stakeholders in the party who were at the NEC meeting”.

    The governor reminded Chief Oyegun and his team that “by the extension, they have been challenged to do more for the progress and victory of the party at levels”.

    He wished them a successful tenure, and praying that the” good Lord should grant them all they needed to succeed”.

  • Araraume begins governorship campaign in Imo

    Araraume begins governorship campaign in Imo

    •’I won primary election’

    Despite the stalemate in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship primary in Imo State, Senator Ifeanyi Araraume yesterday began his campaign in Owerri, insisting that he was the authentic governorship candidate.

    Speaking with reporters at the Sam Mbakwe Cargo Airport, Araraume, who was received by thousands of PDP members, said justice must prevail in the primary, which he insisted he won, “although the Electoral Committee returned the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha, as winner.”

    He described as unfounded, the speculation that President Goodluck Jonathan anointed a particular candidate, saying the President always insisted on justice and fair play.

    Araraume said: “It is not true that the President is supporting a candidate. He has always insisted on justice and fair play in determining who wins the Imo PDP governorship primary. I have had meetings with him and he is insisting that justice should be done.”

    The campaign, which started from the airport, resulted in gridlock on major roads, as Araraume’s supporters showed solidarity.

  • Jonathan, product of Obasanjo School

    SIR: I am not holding brief for President Goodluck Jonathan, but the truth must be told. Even though most of the observations made by Chief Olusegun Obasanjo in his 18 page letter may be true, it doesn’t exonerate him for his own actions while he was in power. He is also guilty of most of the acts he accused the Goodluck administration of. History will not forget how he chased d founding fathers away from PDP and hijacked the party structures and machineries.

    In 2007 election, Obasanjo also supported the opposition candidate of the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) Ikedi Ohakim in the Imo gubernatorial election against Ifeanyi Araraume of his own PDP – the same thing he claimed Jonathan did. History will not forget his proposed constitutional amendment mission which he embarked upon solely to realise his third term agenda.

    History will not forget how 16 billion US dollars was spent cumulatively on power throughout his eight years rule with no result achieved. The EFCC was used as an attack dog to go after perceived enemies who refuse to dance to the tune of the government while other corrupt officials who were in good books were allowed to walk free.

    Court judgments were influenced by the powers that be. Human Rights were violated; worthy of note is the Odi and Zaki Biam saga. Corruption also existed.

    In summary, most of what he pointed out also existed in his government only that it is in an improved form in this present government. Besides Jonathan has always referred to Obasanjo as his mentor. This may have prompted him to act like his master.

    •Halilu Hassan,

    haliluhassan@yahoo.com