Wiper to support ODM's Abdulswamad Nassir after Sonko court ruling

Mvita MP Abdulswamad Nassir. [Kelvin Karani, Standard]

Wiper officials have said the party will back ODM candidate for the Mombasa governor seat, Mvita MP Abdulswamad Nassir, in the spirit of Azimio coalition.

The party's secretary for religious affairs Sheikh Omar Twaha and Solomon Musyoka, the former Wiper chair for Changamwe rejected calls to support former Senator Hassan Omar, the United Democratic Alliance UDA candidate.

On Thursday, former Nairobi governor Mike Sonko who has been barred by the court from vying for the governor seat hinted that he will rally his supporters behind Omar if the electoral body will not clear Kisauni MP Ali Mbogo to run.

But yesterday, the two Wiper officials said Wiper supporters should back a candidate within the Azimio coalition if they have no governor candidate for the August 9 polls.

Solomon, who is a close ally of Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka, said it would be self-defeating to opt for the UDA governor candidate and called on members to back ODM's Abdulswamad Nassir.

"The best option for us is now support Abdulswamad because he is in Azimio where our party belongs.