There is a fresh dimension to the alleged defection of APC chieftain and serial governorship aspirant, Senator Ifeanyi Araraume to the All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA.
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News had hit the media in Imo State that the Senator apparently disgusted with the turn of events in the APC in Imo State is heading to APGA to further his governorship ambition.
But his silence seem to be creating some doubts if his move to the cock party is real or a mere political kite he flew to gauge public perception of his ambition.
There have been reports on the social media quoting the Senator to have said he is not going anywhere. This has been contradicted with the entry of his ally for many years and a top chieftain of the All Progressive Congress, APC, Chief Gibson Njemanze (Oyiga) who has dumped the APC and picked membership card of APGA at his Emeabiam/Okolochi ward in Owerri West Local Government Area of Imo State.
This newspaper was informed that in a bid to express his unhappiness with fresh developments in the APC, news of his defection was leaked to some local tabloids and online media outlets in Imo State to “test the political waters and asses reactions”
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According to a source, the objective of the story was to send out strong signals to the APC on the Senator’s exit since the National Working Committee; NWC appears to be pandering towards the interests of the Governor alone on matters concerning the APC in the State.
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It was learnt that since the news of the Senator’s exit became public which shook the political foundation of the State, the senator is reported to have come under intense pressure from the party leadership not to quit the APC.
A report seen on a local tabloid on Friday also claimed that the senator is being wooed by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and other political parties since news of his exit from the APC broke out.
A political analyst, Mr. Kevin Egbujo, in his analysis of Araraume’s alleged move to APGA said it may be a decoy, a sort of political kite flown by the senator or his associates to attract attention from the party leadership and also reinforce his political relevance in the APC.
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“The Senator and his Destiny Organization are yet to issue an official statement on their exit from APC to APGA. This is quite suspicious because if Araraume is leaving the APC, which is a landmark decision of a notable politician like him, he would have addressed the press himself on the matter or his Organization would have issued a statement by now
“ In the absence of this, I think it is a kite flown for all to see and to attract the attention of the national leaders of the party to his complains in the party as it affects the APC in Imo State
“Araraume is a big political asset to Imo APC and the South East.If he wants to leave the party, he would say so himself and not through speculations from unverified sources in the media.
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“ Until he speaks on his exit from the party, the whole thing remains a kite” Mr. Egbujo said
