*Angry Guber Aspirants Challenge Primary In Court*
*Ohakim, Araraume Re Open Fresh Political Wounds*
The drumbeats of war may not be over in the All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA in Imo State.
The party has been in turmoil lately since 12 governorship aspirants fumed at the party’s governorship primaries won by Senator Ifeanyi Araraume.
The aspirants say there were no primary election accusing the national and State leadership of the party of manipulating the process to favour Araraume.
The angry aspirants had pulled out of APGA forming what it called a “New APGA” . It had also announced that it has sacked the party leadership at the national and state levels.
The 12 aspirants such as former Governor of Imo State, Ikedi Ohakim, Hon Uche Onyeagocha, Okey Ezeh and others who had opposed the exercise have resolved to go to court to challenge the governorship primary election.
Before now, they had elected a leader, Dr.Ike C Ibe, to run the affairs of “New APGA” which will serve as a rallying point for them.
Despite the formation of a “New APGA” most of the aspirants are said to be pursuing their ambitions in other political platforms.
Okey Ezeh was said to have picked the governorship ticket of the Social Democratic Party, SDP. Hon Uche Onyeagocha openly declared his support for the PDP governorship candidate, Hon.Emeka Ihedioha. He however noted that his support for the former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives does not translate to his defection to the leading opposition party in the State.
The option of pursuing the legal option is a hard knock for Araraume who is said to have made subtle reconciliatory moves to get his former colleagues to sheath their sword of war and forge ahead for the titanic guber election in February next year.
Araraume had as part of his reconciliation moves held series of meetings with some stakeholders of the party after he made a triumphant return to the State and received by a mammoth crowd last weekend in Owerri.
Despite the persuasions, the aggrieved aspirants have resolved to go to court , a move which may play down APGA’s performance at the governorship election which will be fiercely vied for by the ruling All Progressive Congress, APC and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Both parties are also facing their challenges as issues surrounding their governorship tickets are challenged in the law courts by other contenders.
In the APC, Senator Hope Uzodinma is battling Governor Rochas Okorocha’s his son in law and Chief of Staff, Uche Nwosu for the ruling party’s governorship ticket, while Senator Samuel Anyanwu is challenging the outcome of the governorship primary of the PDP.
The legal option pursued by angry governorship aspirants in APGA has further increased the number of major political parties who are enmeshed in legal fireworks before the governorship election- a development capable of creating good chances at the polls for lesser political parties.
Former Governor Ohakim is leading 11others in the legal war against APGA and Senator Araraume. The duo are “political cat and mouse” considering the depth of political rivalry that has existed between them.
Ohakim and Araraume hail from the same Okigwe geo political zone and are known to be long time political foes. Araraume had challenged Ohakim’s election as Imo State Governor in 2011.
The “New APGA” with Ohakim leading the onslaught is dragging the party and Araraume to a Federal High Court,Owerri and the matter is scheduled to be heard on Thursday, 25th October 2018.
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