•Obura however said he was ready to face Nyong'o should he insists on running.
•The former MP is being supported by Kisumu Senator Fred Outa and former speaker Onyango Oloo.
Former Kisumu Central MP Ken Obura wants Anyang’ Nyong'o to withdraw from the governor race. https://bit.ly/3iUDrfe
Image: FAITH MATETE
Former Kisumu Central MP Ken Obura wants Anyang’ Nyong'o to withdraw from the governor race.
Obura asked Nyong'o to follow in the footsteps of John Badi, who pulled out of the Homa Bay race.
This, he said, will help Nyong’o avoid defeat in the primaries.
Obura however said he was ready to face Nyong'o should he insist on running.
The former MP is being supported by Kisumu Senator Fred Outa and former speaker Onyango Oloo.
“He should pull out of the race and focus on campaigning for our presidential candidate,” Obura said at his Milimani home in Kisumu
“Forget the talks that Nyong'o enjoys the party support and direct ticket debate. We had people who enjoyed party support but were denied the ticket.”
Last month, Kisumu ODM delegates converged at Tom Mboya Labour College in Kisumu and endorsed the governor to defend his seat.
Nyong'o's camp has in the recent past intensified calls for ODM to hand him a direct ticket.
Market Milimani MCA Seth Kanga has been leading the campaign to have the governor get the direct ticket.
During the official handing over of the Uhuru Business complex on Wednesday, the MCA questioned why Homa Bay Woman Representative Gladys Wanga had been given the ticket ahead of Nyong'o.
However, on Thursday, Obura promised to defeat Nyong'o in the primaries.
“I paid for the ticket and he must get ready for a serious battle. Both of us can agree if he pulls out of the race,” Obura said.
He said he was ready to face the governor, whether the nomination exercise will be free and fair or not.
Obura said he was the one who risked the most when he resigned from the CAS job.
“Since I joined politics, this is the easiest contest for me. I am more prepared than Nyong'o and I resigned well aware that Nyong'o enjoys massive support from the party,” he said.
If elected, he pledged to give priority to agriculture, health and youth empowerment.
“We don't have drugs in our hospitals, patients share beds and this must be corrected,” he said.
Edited by Kiilu Damaris