A section of ODM officials from Luo Nyanza have threatened to oust the party’s national chairman John Mbadi’s from his position. The cocoon led by Siaya branch chair Mr George Okanda, the Suba North Constituency chairperson Mr Narkiso Tuko and Kisumu Woman Rep Ms Rosa Buyu are accusing Mbadi of not being loyal to ODM party and it’s leader Raila Odinga.
The group is claiming that the outgoing Suba South MP should not continue holding the position after he vowed to bar the success of ODM candidates in favor of independent candidates in Nyanza.
The party avoided nominations after Raila chose to impose candidates in Luo Nyanza through coercion and favoritism. Gladys Wanga, Oburu Oginga Odinga and Siaye Senator James Orengo are some of the beneficiaries of favoritism in ODM.
But Tuko insisted that Mbadi’s move must be translated to mean that he is tired of serving the party as its chairperson and therefore should quit or be kicked out.
“I urge Mbadi to resign as the party chairman because it seems he has lost confidence in serving the party,” Tuko said.
Mbadi responded from Sindo Tounwhip in his Suba South backyard when he vowed to stay put in his position as the party chairman.
“It is wrong for some people to sit somewhere to demand that I resign. Where do they want me to go? Did they elect me to be the party chairman? Let them shut up; I am in this seat to stay,” Mbadi said.
Mbadi said that that he only tell ODM candidates the truth about their poor performance in campaigns after being handed direct tickets and that they can be beaten by independent candidates or other Azimio party candidates and jeopardize success of ODM in Nyanza.
“Like a father of ODM candidates, I have to tell my party candidates the truth and advise them accordingly. Voters are enlightened and cannot be coerced to vote six-piece,” Mbadi said.
The Suba South lawmaker is leading Odinga presidential campaign’s in Nyanza but at the same time opposing ODM candidates in the region.
“Azimio is a coalition that needs everybody on board. I cannot discriminate against candidates of other parties because Raila needs every vote in this region.” he said.
Mbadi has not been happy with ODM after Raila Odinga favored Glady Wanga with a free ticket to vie for the Homa Bay gubernatorial seat but forced him to shelve his bid.
His comments show that he is shifting towards the rising force which is out to end the scenario where securing an ODM ticket is as good as winning in the general election.
ODM’s Wanga is facing a tight race against Dr Evans Kidero who is running as an independent candidate to replace Cyprian Awiti..
Kidero’s bid has complicated things for ODM in Homa Bay where Odinga is now begging voters to embrace Raila’s six-piece voting pattern to lock out opponents.
But Homa Bay is expected to be the epicenter of defiance of Odinga’s tradition of imposing leadership on the people of Nyanza.
Many ODM die-herds from the county appear to be supporting Kidero to back the talk that many aspirants were coerced to step down for Wanga.
Mbadi blames the simmering tension and rebellion on the party’s skewed nominations and favoritism many electoral units, which angered voters.
“We must stand by the truth when addressing our local issues. As John Mbadi my work is not to amuse people, my work as chairman of the party is to tell the truth that things did not work out well.
“ODM candidates should go and talk to the people, not to sit on ivory towers. Don’t chest thump, humble yourselves becuase you are going to cost our party positions by losing the seats,” Mbadi said.
