The political rivalry raging between two brothers, Chief Ikedi Ohakim, a former Governor of Imo State, and Senator Ifeanyi Araraume reares its ugly head once again in the All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, as both men jostle for the sole ticket of the party’s Governorship race in 2019 election.
According to information available to Trumpeta, Araraume has purchased APGA Governorship form to indicate his interest in the race.
Araraume did this after Ohakim had earlier purchased his own form to run for the same office.
Before Araraume defected from All Progressive Congress APC to pitch tent with APGA this week, Ohakim had moved into APGA from Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, where he has been mobilizing for another stint in Imo Government House.
However, Araraume’s latest movement into APGA, coupled with his purchase of Governorship form, has raised eye brows, as tongues have been wagging how both men will slug it out for the APGA Governorship ticket to emerge candidate.
Certainty, with Araraume moving into APGA which already has a plethora of Governorship aspirants, the Senator is bound to face his brother and friend, Ohakim in the primaries.
While Ohakim hails from Okohia, Araraume is from Ishiebu, all in Osu clan in Isiala Mbano LGA.
Ohakim and Araraume have all remained factors in Imo politics since the return of democracy in Nigeria.
In 1999, while Araraume was in All Peoples Party APP, and even became its pioneer chairman in Imo State, Ohakim was among the few who formed Peoples Democratic Party PDP.
While Ohakim was warming up to pick the Okigwe Senatorial ticket of PDP in the 1999 election, Araraume, dumped APP for PDP and snatched the senate ticket and later won the election.
In 2007, Ohakim joined the Imo Governorship race under PDP, but was schemed out with frivolous reasons and he therefore joined Peoples Progressive Alliance PPA to fulfill his Governorship dreams.
While Ohakim was in PPA, Araraume was facing the political fight of his life in PDP, with heavy weights in the party against his Governorship ambition which he later secured through a court judgment.
However, the PDP jettisoned their candidate, Araraume, and entered into an alliance with Ohakim of PPA, who eventually was returned as the elected Governor of Imo State in 2007, with the massive support of teeming Imo PDP members.
But Ohakim never had peace as his brother Araraume dragged him through courts over the Imo Governorship result, which later ended at the court of Appeal with Ohakim having the last laugh.
Yet again in 2011, Araraume appeared once more on the scene, this time contesting Imo Governorship under defunct Action Congress of Nigeria ACN.
Following Araraume’s involvement in the election, Ohakim who hails from Okigwe zone with Araraume had to share the Okigwe votes while gunning for a second term.
In the process, Owelle Rochas Okorocha who is of APGA, and the only candidate from Orlu zone swept the polls in the twelve Local Government Areas (12) in the zone, which was an added advantage to Okorocha.
This development, many agreed, cost Ohakim the 2011 election, as Araraume’s vote in Okigwe zone, would have gone to Ohakim who needed just about forty thousand (40,000) votes to beat Okorocha.
Again in 2015, the PDP primary would have been a straight fight between Hon Emeka Ihedioha and His Excellency, Chief Ikedi Ohakim.
However, just at the last minute Araraume joined the race, and led Ohakim to come 3rd with Ihedioha and Araraume coming first and second respectively.
Now in 2018, Ohakim left Araraume to rule in APC and went to APGA.
Araraume, against all permutations and predictions has landed in APGA, where his political battle with Ohakim will continue and in the process shake the foundation of Imo APGA soon.
The question on many lips now is, how will Araraume and Ohakim slug it out again?
As it stands now, the focus on who clinches Imo APGA Guber ticket has become important as Araraume’s entrance has raised the ante and pilled more pressure on the Ikedi Ohakim 2019 Imo Governorship project.
Will the usual Ohakim/Araraume rivalry repeat itself? Imo people and APGA members are worried that this gigantic battle may tear Imo APGA apart in the end.
