Raila Odinga’s party Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has settled Mvita MP Abdulswamad Nassir as their gubernatorial candidate for the Mombasa.
Reports which Kivumbi.co.ke is yet to confirm indicate that ODM settled on Nassir after a number of opinion polls commissioned by the party placed him ahead of his closest competitor businessman Suleiman Shahbal.
According to reports, Nassir emerged the best after a third opinion poll after the initial polls were rejected by his close rival.
Last week during the consensus meeting convened by ODM, it is reported that Suleiman Shahbal dismissed the results of two opinion polls that indicated Nassir was leading.
According to reports, the businessman was adamant that the former prime minister’s party should subject the gubernatorial aspirants to a nominations process saying he will not accept any boardroom decisions.
“Nobody is going to play games with us this time, Mombasa people will decide who their leader is,” Shahbal told The Star on Tuesday, April 5.
Already the party has scheduled the ward representative positions nomination to take place on Saturday, April 9 while it continues with the consensus building on other elective positions.
“Further, we are pleased to inform our members that the process of consensus-building with respect to the position of governor, senator, woman representatives, and members of parliament for the two counties is progressing well,” ODM Election Board Chairperson Mumma said.
In some quarters the move by ODM to award the Mvita MP with a direct ticket is not by surprise as some party insiders had doubted the loyalty of Shahbal to the party.
Some party operatives have on several occasions branded him as DP Ruto’s mole in ODM out to rake the party from within.
During the 2013, elections, Shahbal run on an independent ticket after bolting out of ODM but still, he lost to Hassan Joho.
In the 2017 elections, Shahbal was the Jubilee gubernatorial candidate but again lost to Joho, in what pundits have he does not believe in the ideals of ODM.