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No matter how anyone can hate Senator Ifeanyi Araraume, one common factor that cannot be taken away from him is his popularity in Imo State.
After representing Okigwe zone in the senate, a record two time, the fair skinned politician has no doubt built a cult figure around himself to attract followers in the political scene.
Araraume’s Destiny Organization campaign outfit remains one of the most formidable political organization on ground with a measurable number of diehard faithful scattered across the three zones in the state.
News of his purported move to APGA is already raising dust in the political climate of the state.
Trumpeta on Thursday exclusively reported the senator’s move to APGA from APC. Before now, Araraume remained one of the leaders and chieftain of the coalition strongly opposed to the desire of Governor Rochas Okorocha pocketing Imo APC. Though the media unit of the grassroots oriented politician is yet to react to his purported APGA move.
His rumoured dumping of the party for APGA has attracted the leadership of the party in APC to make a volte face about allowing Okorocha control of the party’s structure in Imo.
Trumpeta was told that the rumour has sparked off several of the APC leaders at the national beckoning on Araraume not to defect to another party. This newspaper has it on good authority that Abuja arm of the party has already asked him to report back to the Presidency for a “friendly” chat on the way forward. Presidency has in the past expressed worry over Imo APC saga. The issue of looming defections formed part of the discussions during yesterday’s INEC meeting in Abuja.
Similarly, the PDP is not left out in the scramble for his signature in their party. In the wake of the new defections going across parties in the country, Trumpeta also gathered that a powerful governor from the South South State who is a force to reckon with in the APC, alongside another party chieftain of the party, (names withheld), had met the senator in Abuja to discuss his possible return to the PDP. Araraume, it would be recalled was a Senator of PDP and had returned to the party in 2015 before joining APC. His expect was singled as part of reasons why the party failed in outwitting Okorocha in 2015.
Other parties are not also left out in the battle to have Araraume carry their party’s banner for governorship of Imo in 2015. Findings have it that not less than four wants him to pick their tickets when rumours were rife that he wants to dump APC ahead 2019 election.
