Editor's Review

"This party needs Oparanya, Joho, Sifuna, Mbadi, and everyone."

ODM Party Leader Raila Odinga now says the party will pick the most suitable candidate as its presidential flag bearer in the 2027 general elections.

Speaking on Thursday, April 18 during the ODM National Governance Council meeting at Bomas of Kenya, Raila said he would speak to the interested candidates when the election period is near and ask them to shelve their ambitions and support one of them.

"When the time for elections comes, we will look at who, if we put them as our flag bearer, will enable us to win. I will tell others to step aside for now and let us try someone else. Their time will come later. We want to move forward united as members of ODM. Let's leave behind the politics of discrimination." Said Raila.

The Azimio leader noted that the ODM party needs everyone on board including Former Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho and former Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya to secure a win.

Former Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho during the ODM NGC at Bomas.

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Raila pointed out that the opposition party should not be divided along regional lines but have a face of the nation. 

"This party needs Oparanya, Joho, Sifuna, Mbadi, and everyone else. We want all of them to be the face of ODM. It's not about saying we from the coast think it should be Joho, we from the west think it should be Oparanya, or we from Nyanza believe someone from Nyanza should lead.

“That is not ODM, that is petty politics. I would like us to unite and show that ODM is not just about Baba; ODM is Kenyans,” Raila added.

Raila's succession in ODM is pitting Joho against Oparanya, with both ex-governors interested in running for the presidency in the 2027 general elections.