The Imo state Caretaker Committee of the All Progressives Grand Alliance(APGA) on Thursday, berated the 2019 governorship candidate of the party, Senator Ifeanyi Araraume over alleged gross misconduct and violation of the Constitution of APGA.
The State party leadership recommended that Senator Araraume should be expelled as a member of APGA, claiming that the activities of the Senator during and after the last general elections had continued to pose a big threat to the peace and unity of the party in Imo state.
APGA stated that the expulsion of the party chieftain has become imperative so as to safeguard the party’s cohesion from being undermined by the Okigwe-born politician and his hirelings.
This was contained in a recommendation report signed by the Chairman, Caretaker Committee, APGA in Imo state, Chief John Iwuala and submitted to the National Working Committee(NWC) of the party led by Ozonkpu Victor Ike Oye, which was made available to newsmen on Thursday evening.
The recommendation is coming after Senator Araraume had declared that he accepts the judgment of the supreme Court which ousted Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, the PDP flagbearer and affirmed Senator Hope Uzodinma, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the duly elected Governor of Imo in good faith.
The Senator, in a press statement published by DAILY POST on Wednesday, congratulated Senator Uzodinma on his emergence as Governor of Imo State, and promised to work harmoniously with the new governor in the overall interest of the Imo people.
However, the Imo Caretaker Committee of APGA in its recommendation stated fully, “The expanded State exco meeting of the party held on Saturday 11th January 2020, the Exco carried out a deep review of the activities of Senator Araraume which in every material respect contravene and negate the extant provisions of APGA constitution (as amended 2019) and unanimously submit this recommendation urging the National Working Committee, in accordance with the relevant sections of the said constitution put him to trial for possible expulsion based on the facts highlighted hereunder.
“Since after the 2019 election in the state in which Sen. Araraume flew the APGA flag as guber candidate and failed, he has deliberately and wittingly indulged in fanning the embers of discrimination, disunity and division which tend to undermine the party cohesion and competitive capability. He elevates his private campaign structure called the Destiny Organization above the general interest of APGA, whereby he has refused to bring the members of the party together, but prefers to hold meetings with the above private group with the view of relegating the party and obviously to destabilize it.
“Instead of standing in the center and reconciling the party from the legal fallout of the purported congresses in the state, Sen. Araraume decided to lean towards a particular side, funding its legal expenses against the court Order and express recognition of the Iwuala-led exco by the National Working Committee. This act by the Senator has heightened enmity and promoted irreconcilable difference in relation between the two camps.
“Despite the live court Order recognizing the Iwuala leadership, the side loyal to Senator Araraume, with his tacit backing has laid siege on the party Secretariat, locking out the legitimate APGA leadership from holding meetings in the state party office. Sometimes he deploys the Police to prevent us from holding meetings in the secretariat.
“It is no longer news that Senator Araraume has packaged himself and a few members of his support group to dump APGA and defect to his former party APC. In a recent campaign of the APC candidate for the Okigwe North re-run, Senator Araraume openly held the hand of the APC candidate in her campaign rally and declared his total support for her, urging people of the constituency to vote against his APGA candidate. According to the APGA candidate in the said election, Lady Engr. Uchenna Onyeiwu-Ubah, Senator Araraume boasted before her that he will frustrate her election and make sure she did not succeed.
“The high point of his anti-party activities was manifested in his mobilization of all his Destiny Organization members to the home of the former Imo State Governor, Chief Ethelbert Okorocha at Ogboko in Ideato South LGA where they sealed a deal to return to APC, and with Araraume to fly the APC flag in the Okigwe Senatorial re-run election.
“Some months ago, Senator Araraume, representing APGA, met with leaderships of AA, and APC in Abuja and announced that they have formed a coalition, even without the knowledge and consent of both the National Chairman and his state counterpart, Chief John Iwuala. This gathering was put together to commence a sinister motive of pulling out from APGA.
“These highlights vividly explain clear violations of the party constitution which amount to misconduct of the nature that carry summary dismissal. Articles 20 Sec. 3b (special circumstances) and 22 Sec. 2j of APGA constitution (as amended 2019) empowers the National Working Committee to discipline any member found guilty of the above violations, by setting up a disciplinary committee to investigate the member and if found guilty, to sanction him or her accordingly.
“As a member of the BoT of the party, Senator Araraume can only be interrogated or disciplined by the National Working Committee.
Having made out our case against Senator Araraume, we the Exco of our party in Imo State look up to the NWC to do the needful, having in mind that the law is not made for a section of the party members, but for everybody, irrespective of one’s height or position in the party.
“We in Imo APGA see this as a litmus test for the party that prides itself for discipline and reliance on constitutionality. We cannot imagine the enormity of damage which APGA will suffer if this matter is swept under the carpet.
“The entire members of Imo Exco hereby formally submit this complaint to your esteemed self and look forward that the right thing will be done to preserve the growth, unity and discipline in APGA”.
