Pulse logo
Pulse Region
ADVERTISEMENT

ODM Governor wins primaries in controversial style amid protests

The Governor's closest rival boycotted the elections, saying he cannot participate in a flawed nomination process.
___6549365___https:______static.pulse.com.gh___webservice___escenic___binary___6549365___2017___4___19___10___John+Nyagarama
___6549365___https:______static.pulse.com.gh___webservice___escenic___binary___6549365___2017___4___19___10___John+Nyagarama

Nyamira Governor John Nyagarama was on Wednesday declared the winner of the controversial Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party primaries amid protests.

Nyagarama garnered 17,487 votes against Dr James Gesami’s 12,126 votes.

Dr John Kumenda came in a distant third with 939 votes.

James Gesami who is the West Mugirango MP, boycotted the elections, saying he cannot participate in a flawed nomination process.

Read Also: Why ODM cancelled chaotic Busia Primaries

ADVERTISEMENT

He claimed his agents from Mr Nyagarama’s strongholds were chased away.

"The registers used were not genuine and in many polling centres, elections did not take off. I have pulled out of this flawed nomination process,” Gesami angrily said.

There were complaints that a register for one out of the four polling stations was missing.

National Elections Board

Gesami said he had made several calls to the Elections Board chairperson Judith Pareno and wrote several complaint letters before the nomination exercise but were not replied to.

ADVERTISEMENT

Gesami's complaints were supported by Kumenda who alleged that voting did not take place in many polling centres in his home area of Kitutu Masaba.

"I was unable to vote for myself since there was no register at my polling centre," he said.

Voting at Nyamira polling centre had earlier been temporarily suspended after claims that IEBC registers and not ODM's, were being used.

However, ODM has maintained that only party registers are being used in the nominations taking place across the country.

Returning officer Thaddeus Nyachwaya announced results at Kebirigo tallying centre without six polling centres whose figures had not come in by 6am.

ADVERTISEMENT

Subscribe to receive daily news updates.