*Uzodinma, Araraume Loyalists In Fierce Battle for Control
By Gbenga Abulude (Politics and General Desk)
Imo State House of Assembly on Friday impeached its speaker, Hon. Chiji Collins and in a dramatic move, elected a new speaker, Hon. Paul Emeziem.
The impeachment was not unconnected with the crisis that has been brewing in the Imo state chapter of the All Progressives Party (APC) which finally snowballed into a major crisis Friday.
Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma, who is the leader of the party in the state was yet to react to the development as at the time of filing this report.
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In the meantime, the emergence of Senator Ifeanyi Araraume as the APC candidate for the Imo North Senatorial bye-election has not gone down well with many party members who feel that Araraume is not the best material for that role, given the fact that he has been a serial contender for an elective position.
Reports indicate that the latest development in the Imo state House of Assembly represents an inter-play of contending forces at work.
Some maintain that while the impeached speaker has been in support of Araraume, forces loyal to the State Governor, Uzodinma are not disposed to supporting the fallen Speaker, and have been backing another aspirant.
Recall that a Federal High Court sitting in Owerri had last Friday ruled that Ararume and not Frank Ibezim or Ms. Uchenna Uba, was the rightful candidate qualified to represent APC in the forthcoming by-election.
The development has further deepened the crisis in the party as many people in the state especially APC faithful believe that Araraume would be ” a bad material for the APC in Imo State.”
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Given this development, sources hinted that forces loyal to Governor Uzodinma are weighing in on the situation in a bid to restore political normalcy.
Also, some APC lawmakers have vowed to defect to People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) if Araraume remains the candidate of the APC.
In the same vein, Sources reveal that APC faithful had a vowed that they would move to another party if Chiji Collins remained the speaker as most lawmakers consitently accused him of being a mere rubber stamp.
He was also accused of being a lackey of Araraume on political matters. As at the time of this reporting, the Governor of Imo state, Uzodinma was yet to react to the news of the speaker’s impeachment.
