By Okey Alozie
Twenty Four hours before the Senatorial bye election in Okigwe zone, Imo State the wrangling between the APC “Candidates” has continued.
The latest is that the two political gladiators Senator Ifeanyi Araraume and Frank Ibezim have divided Imo APC into two as they have continued to campaign differently.
Information getting to our newsdesk revealed that Governor Hope Uzodinma has finally given his blessing to Frank Ibezim who was alleged to have won the APC senatorial primaries in Okigwe zone before Araraume snatched the ticket in the court.
Trumpeta learnt that the Governor and his team declared their support and commitment to Frank Ibezim even when the High Court had directed INEC to substitute Ibezim with Araraume.
Araraume was favoured by the federal high court as the authentic APC candidate but Ibezim and others went to court and appealed against the federal high court judgment but the appeal court is yet to release the judgment.
The more confusing aspect of it is that 24 hours before the election, Ibezim’s poster is everywhere in Okigwe and government being control by APC is fully backing Ibezim.
Chief Macilinus Nlemigbo has earlier declared that his led Exco in the State is with Ibezim and not Araraume.
While Ibezim and his faction had their final campaign on Thursday, Araraume and his sneaked into a Hotel in Aba branch to hold a secret meeting.
This wrangling between the two factions may destroy APC in the coming election.
We were also told that Ibezim’s faction is in Alliance with some other political parties as this may not mean well for Senator Araraume.
Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has moved the Collation Centre for the Imo North (Okigwe Zone) Senatorial election which comes up on Saturday 5, December 2020 to its headquarters in Owerri the Imo State capital.
What this means is that the final result will be announced in Owerri.
