The influence of Deputy President William Ruto is among the reasons Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) opted to withdraw from the Wajir by-election, National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale has claimed.
In a tweet on Tuesday, Duale said that the ODM leader Raila Amolo Odinga sensed defeat in the contest before pulling out.
The Garissa Township MP noted that DP Ruto, who has expressed interest in the Presidency come 2022, has influenced the decision of the ODM party.
He said that the loss in both the Embakasi South and Ugenya Constituency by-elections is a clear indicator that ODM is weak.
“It's a free fall for @TheODMparty. They lost in Ugenya and Embakasi South. Now they have conceded early defeat in Wajir West. The Hustler influence is real!’ Duale tweeted on Tuesday.
The ODM withdrawal comes barely 72 hours after a humiliating defeat in two constituencies by-elections.
"The Orange Democratic Movement wishes to communicate to its members that it will not participate in the upcoming Wajir-West by-elections scheduled for April 25, 2019, as earlier announced.
The party has arrived at this decision following consultations with the top leadership of the Jubilee Party during which we agreed to reciprocate Jubilee’s earlier decision to withdraw from the Migori, Ugenya and Embakasi South by-elections," reads a statement by the ODM party.
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