Opposition’s Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) National Election Board (NEB) on Friday handpicked former Rongo lawmaker Ochilo Ayacko to fly the party’s ticket in the oncoming Migori Senatorial contest.
The party attributed the decision to limited time and finances, a decision that might have as well been as a result of Ayacko’s popularity in the area and nationally.
This, in turn, pushed the former Prime Minister Raila Odinga-led party into thinking that he would have won in the primaries anyway, putting him above the remaining 7 candidates.
Being the deadline of submitting their candidate as was stipulated by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), it’s worth noting that the party remained silent and never made any attempt to conduct the primaries early enough to beat the set time frame.
The decision might have come from the top party leadership otherwise, Ayacko wouldn’t have anticipated the same and went ahead to turn down President Uhuru Kenyatta’s ambassadorial nomination.
He also withdrew his petition challenging Governor Okoth Obado’s August 8 re-election, meaning that he might have been aware that he was set for the ticket.
With the second most popular candidate being Ayacko’s successor in Rongo Dalmas Otieno, it was impossible for the bloc to trust him again after doing what can be described as betrayal earlier.
Otieno at one point dropped out of the Orange party for his Kalausi (whirlwind) movement, before losing in his attempt to retain his set in the concluded general poll.
The others must have been considered weak, with the party considering that Ayacko could have easily beaten them had he moved away to vie on an independent ticket.
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