From George Onyejiuwa, Owerri
APC lawmakers in the Imo State House of Assembly have called for the immediate sanction of Senator Ifeanyi Araraume from the party over what they described as a malicious attack and blackmail against Governor Hope Uzodinma.
The lawmakers have also recommended the immediate expulsion Senator Ararume as a member of APC, saying: ‘We have noted with confirmation that he is a troublemaker and not the breed we want in the party and also for the growth and progress of APC in Imo State.
‘We urged all genuine APC members to disassociate themselves from Sen. Araraume and his anti-party activities in the State.’
Senator Ifeanyi Ararume had allegedly accused Governor Uzodinma of asking his supporters to vote for the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Emmanuel Okewuluonu during last Saturday’s Okigwe senatorial bye-election.
The former two-time senator had also called on the national leadership of the party to discipline the Imo State Governor for an anti-party behaviour.
The call by the Imo APC lawmakers was continued in a communique issued after their caucus meeting held in Owerri, Monday, which viewed the accusations of Senator Ararume on Governor Uzodinma also as a direct attack on all APC stakeholders in the State.
The communique partly reads:
‘Also we consider the action of Sen. Araraume as one that has necessitated sanction from the party, as Imo APC does not need an unstable character and a serial liar who would continue to thwart efforts to move the party forward in the State.
‘Even as we debunk Sen. Araraume’s claims, we have it on records that it was him (Sen. Araraume), who committed anti-party having directed his ‘boys’ to vote for PDP, to forestall the victory of APC in the poll.
‘For the record, if what Sen Araraume said is true, how come all lawmakers from Okigwe Zone and loyal party leaders all delivered their booths for APC during the election.
‘Also how come, most of Sen. Araraume’s boys lost to PDP in their respective booths, if not that they acted on his (Araraume) orders to vote for PDP to the detriment of APC in the election.
“We all know the political history of Sen. Araraume in this State. How he has been jumping from one party to another, from PDP to APGA to APC.
‘In all these periods, he was busy causing troubles and confusion for the parties. So we are not surprised that today he has taken to blackmails against Sen Hope Uzodinma.’
The lawmakers, further stated: ‘And we are also imagining how such a person who can tell such an unfortunate, unfounded, malicious and blatant lies against our Governor could represent as a Senator of any zone in a State.
‘This is because we all were at the campaign rally at Okigwe where the Governor Uzodinma marshalled directives to all party leaders, stakeholders, members and supporters of our party to massively vote for APC and its senatorial candidate, Hon. Frank Ibezim in the election. And we all complied accordingly.
‘So, we believe that such a person, who can cook up lies of such magnitude, should not actually be a stakeholder or even a member of APC in Imo State.’
It continued: ‘We, in Imo State House of Assembly, therefore have resolved to recommend that the National Working Committee of APC should without delay issue disciplinary action against Sen. Araraume.
‘We also recommend his expulsion as a member of APC because we have noted with confirmation that he is a troublemaker and not the breed we want in the party and also for the growth and progress of APC in Imo State.’
