Ifeanyi Araraume, a one -time Senator and top politician from Imo State, risk being suspended from the governing All Progressives Congress, APC.
Six Senior Advocates of Nigeria, SANs, led by Chris Uche, had on the instruction of Araraume, dragged President Buhari to the Federal High Court, Abuja, seeking N100bn compensation from the President, for unlawfully removing him as Chairman of the oil conglomerate, after using his name to incorporate the company.
The suit had jolted top chieftains of the All Progressives Congress, APC, especially in Imo State, who are said to have expressed shock with the action of the Senator, who had represented Imo North Senatorial District.
According to media reports, one of those said to be irked with Araraume’s action, is Governor Hope Uzodimma and top officials of the party in the State
Araraume’s allies had after Araraume’s sack as NNPC Board Chairman, accused Uzodimma of “being the hand of esau who twisted his disgraceful sack from the NNPC board even before the inauguration of the board”
Media reports in Owerri quoted some APC chieftains in the State, saying Araraume may be suspended from the APC for publicly embarrassing the President, on the grounds that he (Araraume) cannot be in APC, a party, President Muhammadu Buhari is the leader, and at the same time, drag the President to Court.
“This is unheard of .It is not done anywhere. He has to leave the party. His action is against the grain of commonsense. Is he the first person, an appointment was taken away from” said a top party member who does not want his name revealed.
President Muhammadu Buhari has visited Imo State more than any other President since 1999 and many APC stalwarts and government officials in the State contend that Araraume acted in bad faith by publicly dragging the President to court after many months he was removed as Chairman of the NNPC board.
A chieftain of the party in Owerri, who spoke to this newspaper on condition of anonymity, said “Senator Araraume, by this singular action, has made nonsense of all the special attention the President has given to Imo State.
“Governor Uzodimma has succeeded in developing a warm relationship with Buhari which has ultimately benefited the State in the areas of fighting insecurity and improving infrastructure” he said.
However, analysts contend that the former Senator, only exercised his right and within the ambit of the law by challenging his disgraceful removal from the NNPC board after he has been announced as Chairman and was awaiting inauguration.
Chris Ebekwe, an Owerri based political analyst, however blamed lack of reward system in the APC, as one of the major reasons which may have compelled Araraume to contemplate taking the President and leader of the APC to court.
“The APC lacks a reward system and this is one major problem in the party.
“If Araraume was removed as Chairman of the NNPC board, he ought to have been rewarded with something else. We call it political patronage, but it is scarce in the APC” Ebekwe said.
Recently, a former Commissioner in Imo State, Orikeze Vitalis Ajumbe, had quit the APC, alleging that lack of reward system in the party forced him to leave.
