The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party will use consensus in its strongholds to pick candidates for the outfits ticket in the 2022 general elections. This revelation follows the party leader’s statements at the Coast over the weekend detailing how ODM plans to conduct foolproof nominations and avert any fallouts among its supporters.
Mr. Odinga explained the orange party will conduct polls in specific electoral areas to identify the most popular candidates. He admitted that ODM may also resort to issuing direct tickets in some instances.
”The party has powers to issue direct nominations. How does the party do that? The party can commission an opinion poll. We will soon conduct scientific surveys then do another one later. From the polls, we get to know who is more popular in an area then we use the results to settle on the best candidate,” the ODM leader said at Francis Atwoli’s Bofa home in Kilifi county.
Read: Odinga roots for consensus, direct nominations
The ODM leader’s remarks were backed by Suba South legislator John Mbadi, also the ODM chair who said the move will help in containing the perennial chaos that has always characterized the party’s nominations in its strongholds.
”That is something we have talked about. There is an ongoing survey everywhere to gauge which candidate is popular whether in ODM or out of the party for most of the seats in the country,” John Mbadi told a local publication.
Currently, ODM is believed to be facing a dilemma in handling governorship contests in Homa Bay, Siaya, Busia, Kisii, Mombasa, and Migori counties, where top Odinga allies are eyeing the party’s ticket. The party is also concerned over its strongholds of Nyanza, Western, Mombasa, and Nairobi which usually face intense competition for the party’s ticket.
