This archive report was first published on 1 July 2021.
On July 1, 2021, Migori Governor Okoth Obado announced his entry into the 2022 presidential race, seeking the top seat on the People's Democratic Party (PDP) ticket.
Obado, a controversial county boss, made the announcement during an interview on Ramogi FM, confirming his exit from Raila Odinga's Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party.
He emphasized that his focus now is strengthening his new political outfit, the PDP, and denied claims that he quit ODM to form an alliance with Deputy President William Ruto's United Democratic Alliance (UDA).
“My exit from ODM is not in bad faith. I have taken a short break to strengthen my party that steered me to the governorship. It is the bus that ushered me into active politics and I’m back to end the journey that I started,” Obado said.
He further stated, “There is no link between PDP and Ruto’s UDA. In fact, the party was coined recently after we had formed PDP…We have always been isolated in one cocoon and any attempt to break the barrier is met with reprisals. Let them not politicise this issue of PDP, we are not at war with any party, we are only advocating for our agenda,”
Obado also dismissed allegations that PDP is meant to divide the Luo community, stating that it is a party with a national outlook and that he will be using it to vie for the presidency.
