Face me at delegates conference, Oburu challenges critics

ODM party leader Oburu Oginga has dared critics challenging his stay at the helm of the ODM party and claiming he was not validly elected as party leader to prepare to face him at the National Delegates Conference (NDC). Oburu said he will soon call an NDC, and all the critics should be present. Speaking at a funeral in Alego Usonga, Siaya county, Oburu claimed he was not afraid of anyone or critics. "Those saying that I am not validly elected as party leader, I challenge them to call an NDC. In fact, I will call it very soon, and they must be there.I am not afraid of them," he said. He also criticised those who were doubting his negotiation skills, especially on matters involving the arrangement between ODM and UDA. He claimed that he was the one who spearheaded the initial talks when his brother Raila Odinga, was still alive Oburu noted that he has been the chairman of all those meetings, including the one that led to the appointment of cabinet secretaries Opiyo Wandayi (Energy), John Mbadi (Treasury), Wycliffe Oparanya Co-operatives), Hassan Joho (Blue Economy), Beatrice Askul, and 14 principal secretaries. Interestingly, in a recent speech, Raila's younger daughter, Winnie Odinga, openly questioned whether those who had been tasked with handling the arrangement were capable of achieving that goal. According to Oburu, however, he has the experience to lead ODM in negotiations "I have been elected by the people four times. I have been in parliament as the longest-serving member. It cannot be that I was not capable as an MP, yet I got elected all those times. So those who are saying that I do not talk or cannot talk are saying nonsense," he noted. Yesterday, Oburu reiterated that any negotiations between ODM and any other partners will be headed by him. Oburu noted that the party is soon establishing a negotiating team, which will start negotiating with others. "We have said clearly that this is the year of negotiations for any arrangements, either we are going into partnership with UDA or on any other or alone as ODM. And if we are going alone, I am the presidential candidate," he said. He added: "It will be a tough negotiation, and we will get our share, but it depends on the people and the party unity and membership of the party. We will not get into any government through the back door in 2027, but a negotiated arrangement through the front door." Oburu urged the Nyanza community to join ODM and strengthen to enable easier and stronger negotiations. He argued that if the party is weak, the leaders will also be weak and will be forced to negotiate at a point of weakness. Wandayi said it was time for leaders to take a position and stop blowing hot and cold and sit on the fence on decision-making/ Wandayi said there was no vacuum on party leadership, as it had been long settled at the National Governing Council acting on behalf of NDC. "So anyone imagining there is a vacuum in ODM leadership is daydreaming. If you want people to respect you or you want to lead, you must learn to respect those in leadership," said Wandayi. MP Sam Atandi said there were no plans to remove anyone from the party as claimed by critics. Atandi said they were only against those disrespecting the party leader and they will not spare them He said that all leaders and the entire ODM must unite behind party leader Oburu, whom he described as a very good negotiator.

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