Ifeanyi Ararume

Ifeanyi Godwin Ararume
Senator for Imo North
In office
May 1999 – May 2007
Succeeded by Sylvester Anyanwu
Personal details
Born 16 December 1958
Imo State, Nigeria
Political party APGA

Ifeanyi Godwin Ararume was elected Senator for the Imo North (Okigwe) constituency of Imo State, Nigeria at the start of the Nigerian Fourth Republic, running on the People's Democratic Party (PDP) platform. He took office on 29 May 1999.[1] He was reelected in April 2003.[2] After taking his seat in the Senate[3] in June 1999 Ararume was appointed to committees on Communications, Police Affairs, Federal Character, Finance & Appropriation, Information and Niger Delta (vice chairman).[4]

Ararume won the PDP primaries in 2007 to become candidate for governor of Imo State. The party chose to run Engineer Charles Ugwu in his place. Ararume protested this decision and secured a Supreme Court ruling in his favor. The party expelled him and chose not to field a candidate, leaving the field open for Ikedi Ohakim of the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA).[5]

Early Life and Education

Ifeanyi Godwin Araraume was born on December 16, 1958 at Isiebu, Umuduru in Isiala Mbano Local Government Area of Imo State, Nigeria to Late Mr. Marcus Araraume and Mrs. Adaezi Grace Araraume (Nee Anyiam). He started his formal education at Saint Christopher Primary School, Umuluwe, Ajirija in Isiala Mbano, Imo State. He went on to complete his secondary education at Dick Tiger Memorial Secondary School, Amaigbo in Nwangele Local Government Area of Imo State, Nigeria after previously being enrolled at the Sapele Technical College, now in Delta State, Nigeria. He obtained Bachelor of Science (B.SC) Degree in Business Administration from Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, United States of America and a Masters Science Degree (M.SC) in International Relations from the University of Benin, Nigeria.[6]

Political Career

Senator Araraume is a career politician. His history in politics began in the 90's. He was the State Treasurer for Liberal Convention in old Imo State between 1988 and 1989. He later became a member of National Finance Committee of the defunct National Republican Convention (NRC) created by former military dictator General Ibrahim Babangida from 1990 to 1993, and Chairman, NRC Presidential Primaries for Kwara and Delta States. He was the pioneer State Chairman of the defunct All People's Party (APP); later All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) in Imo State (1998 – 1999)[6].

He was elected to the Senate representing Imo North (Okigwe) constituency of Imo State, Nigeria in 1999 under the platform of People's Democratic Party (PDP) and was re-elected in 2003. During his tenure as a Senator, he served in various senate committees; he was the Chairman Senate committee on Power and Steel, Vice Chairman Senate committee on Culture and Tourism, Vice Chairman Senate committee on the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Chairman Public Hearing committee for South-West zone on amendments to the 1999 Constitution, member of the National Assembly Joint Constitution Review Committee (JCRC) and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Debts. He was also Chairman of the Southern Senators' Forum[6].

Political controversies

Ararume's political career has been fraught with some controversies. After winning PDP governorship primaries for Imo State in 2007, the party chose to run Engineer Charles Ugwu in his place due to several controversies with the party's executives[7]. The party claimed his total votes fell short of the two third stipulation agreed by the party’s congress and that the election was marred by violence. Ararume protested this decision and secured a Supreme Court ruling in his favor. He was however, expelled from the party for anti-party activities[8] and the party chose not to field a candidate in the governorship election. Prior to his election as a senator in 1999, Ararume was the state chairman of the defunct All Peoples Party (APP). He decamped from the APP to PDP few days before PDP's national assembly primaries where he won the ticket under very controversial circumstances.

He later joined the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) where he contested in governorship election in 2011 and lost to Rochas Okorocha of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA)[9]. In 2014, Ararume rejoined the Peoples Democratic Party and contested for the party's governorship ticket in 2015 which he lost to Chukwuemeka Ihedioha[10]. He later decamped again from PDP to All Progressives Congress (APC) and joined force with the incumbent governor Rochas Okorocha during the 2015 governorship election. On 5th September 2019, Senator Ararume left the ruling party APC and joined APGA where he is currently contesting for governorship ticket[11].

References

  1. ↑ "FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA LEGISLATIVE ELECTION OF 20 FEBRUARY AND 7 MARCH 1999". Psephos. Retrieved 2010-06-24.
  2. ↑ "Senators". Dawodu. Retrieved 2010-06-24.
  3. ↑ "The National Assembly". The National Assembly. Archived from the original on 2018-05-30. Retrieved 2018-10-02.
  4. ↑ "Congressional Committees". Nigeria Congress. Archived from the original on 2009-11-18. Retrieved 2010-06-24.
  5. ↑ CHRISTIAN ITA and DENNIS MERNYI (July 8, 2007). "Ugwu, Madueke, others face hurdle". Daily Sun. Archived from the original on October 16, 2007. Retrieved 2010-06-24.
  6. 1 2 3 Bello, Muhammed. "Commissioner: Senator Ifeanyi Godwin Araraume". www.ncc.gov.ng. Retrieved 2018-10-02.
  7. ↑ "Nigeriaworld Feature Article - Still on Imo guber election, INEC and a professor of shame". nigeriaworld.com. Retrieved 2018-10-02.
  8. ↑ "PDP expels Ararume, 19 others for alleged anti-party activities in Imo". Retrieved 2018-10-02.
  9. ↑ "Nigeria: PDP Didn't Truncate My Gov Ambition - Ararume". AllAfrica. Archived from the original on 2014-11-29. Retrieved 2018-10-02.
  10. ↑ "Ihedioha emerges Imo PDP gov candidate". Punch Newspapers. Retrieved 2018-10-02.
  11. ↑ "2019: Ararume, Izunaso defect to APGA - Vanguard News". Vanguard News. 2018-09-06. Retrieved 2018-10-02.


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