Migori Governor Okoth Obado has said he will not fold his People's Democratic Party to join Deputy President William Ruto’s UDA.
Speaking during an interview on Tuesday at Radio Nam Lolwe, the governor claimed, “UDA is just a small party which was started recently for me to fold up and join. PDP took me and made me a governor in 2013.”
He added, “UDA is a political baby and can’t be compared to PDP which is more mature, I only need more people to join me and make it bigger instead of folding it up for others,” Obado said.
His statement is contradicting after Obado hosted Ruto on November last year and declared to support his presidential bid on August 9.
Obado was first elected on PDP ticket in 2013, before he decamped to ODM in the 2017 general election and went back to PDP after falling out with party leader Raila Odinga.
During the Tuesday interview, Obado said he was not supporting either Ruto or Raila in the bid, and downplayed his earlier statement that he will be in the presidential ballot as a candidate in the next election.
“There is no seat I will seek in Migori county in the next polls. And since PDP is driven by the wish and voice of common wananchi, I will ask them where the political wind is blowing then follow them,” he said.
He said other governors have their parties intact and have been supporting either Ruto or Raila yet they have not been facing pressure like he is doing.
He did not name the kind of pressure he has been facing and from which political quarters but said his party “should not be targeting by others for propaganda and malice. I just need peace as I seek to build my party.”
On November, Ruto handlers led by Kuria West MP Mathias Robi said they had approached Obado to fold up PDP and join UDA after tension rose between supporters of the two parties during two recent meetings by Ruto in Migori.
Robi termed PDP a village party which only has “few supporters in sections of Migori.
He said PDP lacks a national outlook and that they are working on all members on Tangatanga to join UDA in Nyanza region.
Migori governor hopeful on UDA ticket Jane Moronge said it was “laughable that Obado, despite declaring his quest for presidency on the PDP ticket, has not organised his own rallies nor campaigned anywhere past his Uriri village.”
Pressure on political future of Obado has seen his allies abandon him and instead have either joined UDA or ODM.
Migori Deputy Governor Mwita Mahanga has said he is in ODM, adding that his boss has his right of association to join Tangatanga, and not with his supporters.
Migori county secretary Christopher Rusana and speaker Boaz Okoth, both Obado allies who are seeking to vie as governors, have said they are in ODM.
On other hand, Energy executive Rebecca Maroa, who will also be in governor race, will vie under the UDA ticket.
(edited by Amol Awuor)
