Senator Ifeanyi Araraume, yesterday, defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) and picked the governorship nomination form of the party.
Ararume, who was until recently, a chieftain of APC, picked the APGA nomination form after weeks of speculation of his plans to join the party. He obtained the form in Awka, the Anambra State capital, yesterday in company of some national leaders of the party, including the National Secretary, Mr. Labran Maku.
One of his political aides, Mr. Ebere Osuji, who confirmed Ararume’s defection, said: “Shortly after obtaining the form, the senator joined other aspirants at a national retreat organised by the party at Finotel Hotel, Awka.”
The news of his picking APGA governorship form was said to have caused a wide jubilation among his supporters who have been putting pressure on him to leave APC.
Osuji said: “Recently, a coalition of different groups made up of professionals, students, town unions, clerics and others called on him to immediately look for another platform to contest the forthcoming governorship election, saying he and his huge followers would not get justice in the on-going efforts to resolve the current crisis in Imo APC.
“The coalition which met through representatives in Owerri said it was making the call because it no longer had confidence that the APC under the leadership of Adams Oshiomhole was the credible platform through which the people of the state can bring about the type of governance they envisaged in the next political dispensation.”
In a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting, participants noted that the people of the state are “completely disenchanted” with the party as a result of the “repressive and unresponsive” style of the administration of the current Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha.
