The experience, contacts, Political Party, and Capacity of who represents every constituency, zones have become a very serious matter to State Governors across Nigeria both past and present. As for the case in Imo State where a senatorial bye-election is been expected anytime soon it is more or less no surprise to see the new coalition between Former Governor of Imo State Owelle Rochas Okorocha and Senator Ifeanyi Araraume.
It has been revealed that Owelle Rochas Okorocha has dropped old grudges and is now working in the same political page with an erstwhile political competitor, Senator Ifeanyi Araraume over the Okigwe Senatorial Seat rerun.
Reports also have it that both political Heavy Weights in All Progressive Congress APC, may have joined forces to confront the Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma against his plot to produce the next Senator from Imo West.
Read Also: Why Gov Uzodinma Needs Ararume Now More Than Ever
The new ‘bro-mance’ between Araraume and Okorocha which led to them deciding to mend their political fences is based on the fact that they both are battling to face a common enemy in Governor Hope Uzodinma.
It is no news that Governor Hope Uzodinma is hell-bent on stopping Ifeanyi Araraume from being the next Okigwe Senator and he has openly declared that position must go to his candidate from Imo-west. On Okorocha’s part, he has been a regular customer of numerous probe panels set up by the Hope Uzodinma Government bent on nailing him.
He sees this as a stab in the back from a supposedly close ally who promised to “Do him well” once he became the Executive Governor of Imo state.
Ararume who extended the olive branch did this on the basis that to actually defeat the mandate of a juggernaut like Hope Uzodinma, he needs a catalyst, someone who has played on the same turf, someone who knows the “works” and most importantly, someone who has an ax to grind with Governor Hope Uzodinma. The facts are very clear if you look at the current Senators at the 9th Assembly, the majority are former Governors, former ministers, 3rd to 4th term senators of the Federal Republic of Nigeria who can influence the executive to allocate projects and the little available funds to their State or Constituencies. This is where Okorocha’s experience is most valued.
Uzodinma will surely meet his match in Ifeanyi Araraume and Owelle Rochas Okorocha whenever the bell to replace Senator Uwajumogu rings.
Ifeanyi Araraume and Owelle Rochas Okorocha have already gained ground at the APC headquarters in Abuja, since Hope Uzodinma’s buddy and benefactor, former National Chairman of the party, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has been removed from office.
One of the shocks to Governor Hope Uzodinma was how Araraume was given a waiver by APC to contest the Senate election, even as Uzodinma had told some confidants that he had sealed Araraume’s fate over the waiver issue. Surely if Oshiomhole was still there, there was no way Araraume could have gotten that waiver.
Ifeanyi Araraume knew what happened with Gulak. The same game would have repeated itself had Oshiomhole remained APC National Chairman.
Meanwhile, there are indications that the Okigwe Senate Seat election will happen before the end of the year.
THE EASTERN UPDATES
