Instead, the Star has established the party plans to pick leaders by consensus to in order not to rock the boat ahead of the 2027 polls.
It has emerged the party is yet to complete its radical reorganisation, including ratifying changes to the elections body by key party organs, days to next month's polls date.
The Raila-chaired Central Management Committee disbanded the National Elections Board in January and picked three members for a new entity, the National Elections Coordinating Committee but the members are yet to be sworn in.
The National Executive Committee and the National Governing Council must ratify the changes before the officials assume office, according to the ODM constitution.
The party's legal department is yet to finalise the structure for the constitution of the NECC at the county level that will oversee elections at the grassroots.
This, coupled with Raila's continental campaign calendar for the AU top job, has forced ODM to call off the elections until it puts its house in order.
There are concerns that the contested nature of elections in such a big party could lead to chaos as leaders viciously fight for leadership slots, hurting Raila's continental job push.
"We are not going the elections way, the consultation is on but everyone favours the consensus route, which will be staggered from the grassroots to the national level," a highly placed party source told the Star.
ODM national chairperson John Mbadi confirmed reports of suggestions to call off the polls but said a final decision has not been taken.
“The plan was to have party elections next month, we were to have a Central Committee meeting, which we didn't have. Mzee (Raila) is out of the country and when he comes back, I am sure we shall have the meeting to take a final decision,” Mbadi told the Star.
ODM National Treasurer Timothy Bosire said a final decision is yet to be made by party organs.
The revelations come as top ODM leaders lock horns over Raila's succession. Former governors Wycliffe Oparanya (Kakamega) and Hassan Joho (Mombasa) are leading two camps fighting to inherit the opposition leader’s torch.
Each says he is entitled to take over the party's leadership given their seniority as the ODM leader's deputies.
The Raila succession battle within ODM recently took a new twist with some MPs from Raila's Nyanza backyard declaring they will fight for the baton.
The MPs’ claim came days after Raila endorsed Oparanya and Joho to take over from him should he succeed in his quest for the AU Commission chairperson job bid.
“Should I win, Joho and Oparanya are here and able to steer this party to success," Raila said in Wajir two weeks ago. But one seat and two occupants is impractical, triggering rivalry.
It has emerged the infighting in ODM, Raila's busy continental campaigns schedule and fears of a falling out have now forced the party to cancel the much-hyped polls slated for April.
The cancellation is expected to be announced after the party's Central Management Committee meets once Raila jets back into the country.
Consensus would allow cherry-picking of officials both at the national and grassroots levels.
ODM has for over a decade resorted to handpicking leaders for fear that competitive elections would trigger nasty antagonism and allow moles to infiltrate the party.
Formed after the 2005 referendum, ODM held its successful elections ahead of the 2007 general elections, 17 years ago when President William Ruto and Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi were members.
Raila's critics have used issues of delayed polls to attack his democratic credentials, claiming he fears internal competition for fear of losing the party to youthful politicians.
It seems clear ODM is unlikely to hold any competitive elections soon as high-level consultations are in high gear to call off the April polls to forestall a falling out and general disarray.
The party's CMC chaired by Raila was to meet last week to ratify the proposal but the session did not happen as the former prime minister was out of the country for his AU campaigns.
Asked whether the party would go for consensus, Mbadi, who is also a nominated MP, said consensus is provided for in the ODM constitution but a formal decision is yet to be made.
“There is no formal discussion as to whether we are going to have consensus; again, consensus is okay. One of our ways of doing elections is by consensus so there is nothing wrong with having consensus,” he said.
“No such decision has been taken as far as I am concerned; the last resolution of the Central Committee was to hold grassroots elections.
“Remember, we have not held grassroots elections, probably this time it will be better to allow members to elect the officials. It is very important. It will reinvigorate the party.''
Those pushing for the cancellation of the elections also claim the party’s newly adopted election structure is yet to be presented to the National Governing Council for ratification.
The party's Central Management Committee in January disbanded the National Elections Board and proposed a two-tier elections structure in which polls would devolve to the counties.
The Coordinating Committee, the successor of the NEB, shall be made up of three persons who shall oversee the party elections and nominations at the national level.
Raila retained Richard Tairo and Emily Awita, who sat in the disbanded NEB, to sit in the established NCC that will also include Beatrice Askul.
The party said it was retaining Awita and Tairo for institutional memory at the national level as Raila tries to find the best nomination formula ahead of the next polls.
A statement by ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna after Raila chaired the Central Management Committee on January 10 said the NEB had ceased to exist.
"The Central Committee has proposed the disbandment of the Party’s Election Board as currently constituted and to devolve management of its elections to the grassroots," Sifuna said.
With ODM’s elections board disbanded, the party will have to first convene a National Governing Council to ratify the creation of the three-member National Coordinating Commission that will supervise the elections.
Under the new arrangement, counties would be given a free hand to manage their elections and transmit the results to Chungwa House.
The National Executive Council is yet to meet and endorse the new structure, raising doubt about the party's preparations for the April polls.
“As it still stands, the position is that we shall have a grassroots election in April unless we find that logistically it is a challenge, then we can push it for one month or so but it is on,” Mbadi said.
Odinga allies who spoke in confidence said that in April, the Opposition Chief will roll out his continental campaigns for the AU Commission chairmanship job and, hence, will not be available to oversee the crucial selection activity.
