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| Imo Speaker,Emeziem |
By Imodailynews
The campaign team of the Speaker Imo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Paul Emeziem has advised Sen. Ifeanyi Araraume to stop blackmailing their principal as such would not earn him any political advantage.
Speaking to newsmen in Owerri, on Thursday, the campaign Director General, Hon. Joseph Ajuonuma posited that instead of Sen. Araraume to make unfounded claims, he should rather apologize to Rt. Hon. Emeziem, having made attempts to thwart his victory during the election.
According to him, "as much as we don't want to join issues with Sen. Ifeanyi Araraume over his recent claims, it is pertinent we put some records straight to enable the public have good knowledge of what actually transpired between the Speaker and Sen. Araraume during the election.
"As far as we know, Sen. Araraume contributed nothing significant to who Rt. Hon. Paul Emeziem has become today instead he constituted himself a stumbling block to his success story."
He said, "let it also be on record that there was never a time Emeziem contested primaries in PDP, having not joined the PDP in the first place. Immediately he left APC, he went straight to APGA.
"At the APGA primary election, all efforts Araraume made to take the ticket from Emeziem and give it to one Dr. Chikezie, his preferred aspirant, failed woefully and shamefully.
"During the primary, Emeziem made 57 votes while his man got only three votes. Emeziem achieved this no doubt because of his goodwill, popularity, political ingenuity, sagacity and prowess."
Ajuonuma continued, "Also Araraume prior to his joining APGA, our principal led all of us to welcome him to APGA. It is on record that we were in APGA far before he joined us. He joined APGA barely two weeks to the party's primaries.
"At that visit, we met stiff opposition from Araraume and his men. His unwelcoming attitude towards our principal was obvious and regretting. He even vowed at the visit that over his dead body will he allow Emeziem to contest the election in APGA, let alone winning the election.
"Obviously, he was not comfortable with Emeziem's presence in the party. He was afraid that Emeziem was already loyal to Governor Hope Uzodinma and that if he wins the election, the bound would still be there due to the close affinity between Sen. Hope Uzodinma and Rt. Hon. Emeziem. I remember him asking Emeziem, 'what assurance do I have that your allegiance will not be to Uzodinma if I bring you in'?
"Emeziem told him that he has no problems with Sen. Hope Uzodinma and that he only joined APGA to contest the election. And with the level of preparation and the efforts he has put on ground, he was convinced of winning the election.
"We know what Araraume and his media team want to achieve with this his cheap blackmails. But someone should tell him that he has failed already. Imo people all know his witch-hunting style of politics. He should leave the Speaker alone and stop blackmailing him for his selfish gain.
"How I wish Prince Uwakwe Agunsi, the then APGA senatorial aspirant will tell you his ordeals in the hands of Araraume. How I wish he will tell you how Araraume took the ticket from him and gave it to his preferred aspirant.
"That was the same thing he wanted to do to the Speaker then but the Speaker was smart enough to know his antics. And with the help of God, see where Emeziem is today".
Asked to react on the claim that Araraume funded Emeziem's campaign cum election, the campaign DG said, "Apart from the football tournament organized by Emeziem which Araraume attended and gave the players N600, 000, he never again contributed in any way from the beginning to the end of his election campaign in Onuimo.
"Again, from our investigation, every other candidate of APGA for the election across the state can also attest to this that Araraume did not give anybody 'One Naira' for the election. Even when he brought money for his election, he gave the money to his campaign council team, who were not on ground in any local government. And he instructed them not to relate with any candidate. And that was exactly what led to his failure in that election. Selfishness.
"Let me also point out that when our principal got the party ticket, after defeating his (Araraume) candidate at the primary, Araraume left to Abuja and made frantic efforts to take away the ticket from Emeziem, when he himself had gotten the governorship candidature. But for God almighty and the help of the National Chairman who looked at the primary result and declared that this kind of result cannot be exchanged, the story would have been different."
He continued, "We are also aware that the result which he claimed was under pressure or was being ceased at the INEC office on the night of the election was his own and not that of Emeziem because the AA members in that hall had called Emeziem and pressurized him to allow his result to be declared while they manipulate Araraume's own.
"They also made offer of Five Million Naria to him but he rejected it because you and I know he is a man of integrity. Also even when some people left to go and get money from Araraume for his result to be released, Emeziem had to send him a message asking him not to give anybody money because he knew that he has all it takes to safeguard the (Araraume) result.
"This same episode happened in so many other local governments including Okigwe where Stanley Nzekwe comes from. This explained why Araraume lost to AA in Okigwe because some of his so called strong men sold him out for selfish reasons.
On the claim that Emeziem lacks capacity to win the election if not for Araraume's imput, Ajuonuma said, "for the records also, Araraume should understand that Emeziem has been two time Local Government Chairman of Onuimo through elections. He is a name to be reckoned with as long as politics in Onuimo is concerned.
"He has also been State Chairman of two political parties, UNPP and APDA. Araraume should also be told that Emeziem has never been a poor man since he left schools. He was also a Special Adviser to Governor Ikedi Ohakim during his administration. Is it a man with such intimidating political profile that Araraume said that he cannot win elections without his imput. Indeed that is laughable.
"Again, if Araraume thinks he is god, why didn't his candidates win in Obowo and even Ehime Mbano which is a neighbouring local government area to him. This also proved that he won in Onuimo because of the person and capacity of Rt. Hon. Emeziem.
Rt. Hon. Emeziem's campaign boss added, "Araraume should also be told that Governor Uzodinma knows who Paul Emeziem is and can vowed on his loyalty for him. Let me recap a little from what I know. For instance, sometime in 2002, Governor Achike Udenwa lost the grip of PDP to Sen. Hope Uzodinma and the National Working Committee came to Omuma, to Sen. Hope Uzodinma's house instead of Government House for almost two days on a kind of National Convention.
"And thereafter, a reconciliation committee was set to reconcile the sitting governor and Sen. Hope Uzodinma on PDP affairs in the state. And in that reconciliation, Achike Udenwa was told to give Hope five Commissioners, but Achike Udenwa approved only two out of the five nominees. And Hope was not happy about that.
"It is worthy of note that the approved Commissioner nominees were Rt. Hon. Emeziem and one other Steve. And because, his principal, Sen. Hope Uzodinma did not accept that condition, Emeziem also rejected the offer. And all efforts made to convince him to accept the offer failed. I am aware that the then Deputy Governor, Ebere Udeagu, made efforts too but he said no. He insisted that in as much as his principal was not comfortable with the conditions, he outrightly turned it down. And at the end of the day, Udenwa now gave the position to one Chief Opkara from Onuimo too who is now late.
"Also, even during Rochas Okorocha administration, Chief Emma Ibediro can attest how many times Okorocha approach and appealed to our principal, Emeziem to come and work for him. He even sent Chief Ibediro and some other persons to come and beg him to join him in his Rescue Mission Government but he said no. And the only reason he gave Ibediro and others was that as long as Okorocha is not working with his principal, Hope Uzodinma, he was not going to work with him no matter what he may want to offer him.
"Let me not forget. Again, the same man Araraume wants to tarnish his image before Governor Uzodinma either through or from, in 2002 when Uzodinma was contesting governorship election under UNPP, a party Emeziem was the State party Chairman, Uzodinma was aware that his opponent in the same party, with the National Working Committee, offered Emeziem N10 million with a Prado Jeep to stop supporting Hope and come over to their camp. Chief Martin Agbaso can attest to this. And of course, Emeziem said no. Instead when they now gave Agbaso that ticket, Emeziem followed Hope to AD where he jointly contested that election with Ikedi Ohakim. He followed Hope with all the party members from the ward to the state level. So I don't think there is anything Araraume can do to tarnish Emeziem's image before Governor Uzodinma.
"Emeziem as I said earlier is a man of impeccable character and integrity. He is not known to play double agent or betray confidence and loyalty. I can boldly tell you that since 2002 that Emeziem started working with Sen. Hope Uzodinma, he has had nothing to do with any other political interest. And even when he left APC to join APGA to contest this Assembly election, Hope was aware of everything. I can tell you that Emeziem is someone that work for Sen. Hope Uzodinma with passion and utmost dedication."
"Also, Araraume should be aware that the entire Onuimo people are not happy with him especially for lying against their son, the Speaker. He only come to them when he needs their votes and nothing more. For instance, when he had opportunity to build roads through NDDC, he built all roads in Isiala Mbano and did none in Onuimo. Now, the only opportunity they have to get a feel of government through the Speaker, he has started with his dirty politics.
"As I speak with you now, the leaders of Onuimo are sending letter to him to warn him to steer clear from their son or he will incur their wrath. I think Araraume will have a feel of their anger in this Saturday Okigwe Zone senatorial bye-election.
"Also, Araraume should tell the world if Emeziem has visited or even spoken to him on phone ever after the election. He has not even sat in a meeting with him since then for any reason. So what relationship or loyalty is Araraume talking about that would warrant the Rt. Hon. Speaker to support him now?
"So we think it is only wise that Araraume should stop telling lies about the Honourable Speaker. He should not also allow his media team to continue to give him the image as someone who is playing God over people's destinies. Also, we want to advise him that until he removes Stanley Nzekwe from the center of his activities, he may not make any headway."
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