ODM deputy party leader Wycliffe Oparanya has asked billionaire Jimmy Wanjigi to shelve his presidential ambitions in favour of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
The call by the Kakamega governor comes barely a week after his Mombasa counterpart Hassan Joho dropped his presidential bid and threw his weight behind ODM leader Raila Odinga.
According to the former Council of Governor’s chair, it will be too hard for Wanjigi to defeat Raila at party primaries hence advised him to follow the path of Joho.
“We want Wanjigi to emulate us because I did the math, I looked at the situation and realised that I was not going to beat Raila (Odinga),” Oparanya said as quoted by the People Daily.
The governor further asked Wanjigi to instead channel his resources in marketing Raila Odinga who is expected to give his fifth stab at the presidency come 2022.
“I have left the presidential campaign trail but I will still continue to be deeply involved in supporting Raila’s Azimio la Umoja,” he added.
Last week, Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho announced that he is dropping his presidential ambitions to support his party leader Raila Odinga.
“I’ am ready to shelve my presidential ambition. I do not fear doing that. I strongly believe that our only path, as Coastal people, to State House is through Raila Odinga,” Joho said during Raila’s visit to Mombasa on Saturday, September 17.
In June, Oparanya who had implored his party leader to support his presidential candidature announced that he will not compete against his party leader.
“If my party leader stands, I would rather go for another post instead of opposing him because we have worked together since I joined the party in 2005,” Oparanya said.
