2015: Imo PDP may concede guber ticket to Ararume


From GEORGE ONYEJIUWA, Owerri

As the 2015 politics hots up in Imo State, there are strong indications that the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) may concede  the party’s  governorship ticket  to Senator Ifeanyi Ararume, a two time senator and the gubernatorial  candidate of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in the 2011 elections.
The gesture is to compensate him for alleged injustice meted to him by former President Obasanjo and the party leadership in 2007.
Ararume, who returned to the party two weeks ago, had won the party’s governorship primaries in 2007 but was denied the ticket, forcing him to leave  the party.
Speaking with newsmen yesterday in Owerri, the party’s legal adviser,  Cyprain Akaolisa, said that the party would have to redress the injustice done against Ararume in 2007.
“Equity requires that the party should redress that injustice as we seek to reclaim our mandate in the state,” he said.
He stated that if Senator Ararume was still interested in contesting the governorship of the state on the platform of the party, he would be considered first before any other contestant for the party’s ticket and that concession would have nothing to do with zoning, but to redress an injustice meted to him in the past.
“The concession that should be given to Ararume is not based on zoning but on the mitigation of injustice which is by far more important than zoning. So, people that are seeking elective office in the PDP, especially that of the governor, should be aware of these circumstances.
“We know the circumstances that led to his leaving the PDP, he didn’t do so for selfish reasons, he left because of the glaring injustice done against him and now that he is back, we must go to him and ask him to forgive us and if he is still interested in the governorship, he should be given the right of first refusal.
“ We won the 2011 election but were denied victory because the party has done someone injustice.”

Source: Sun

Publish Date: 

Thursday, 16 January 2014