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Businessman Jimi Wanjigi is threatening to stop the Orange party’s National Delegates Convention (NDC) if the issues he has raised are not addressed.

Wanjigi who yesterday assembled a section of his support base drawn from the Central and Eastern region, charged that Azimio la Umoja chief Raila Odinga has adopted anti-democratic practices including making decisions without following party constitution and internal democratic processes.

In a letter dated February 8 to ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna and copied to NEB chair Catherine Mumma, Wanjigi argued that the NDC is the organ that has the sole responsibility to nominate the party’s candidate for the election of the President of the Republic of Kenya in terms of Article 7.2.4 of the party constitution.

In his letter, Wanjigi said his bid to be the party’s flagbearer is informed by the undeniable fact the party’s constitution requires a mandatory term that the elections of national officials and the party’s presidential flagbearer be held after every five years.

“One of the goals of offering my candidature for the party ticket is to support the party in enhancing internal democracy in a more transparent, accountable, and people[1]driven process. It is for this reason that I demand the notice issued be recalled as the same is defective and does not adhere to the party’s constitution,” said Wanjigi.

Wanjigi further argued that the election of the party primaries for Presidential nominations which is regulated by Rule 18 requires that there be an election to nominate the party’s presidential candidate during the ordinary session of the Convention after every five years.

The delegates at this Convention shall convert into a National Electoral College and nominate the Presidential candidate as per Rule 18.2 (t).

“As an aspirant for the party’s presidential ticket, the omission of this critical agenda at the convention, in my considered view, is unreasonable, smells of ulterior motive, and is meant to curtail my rights as a life member of the party to participate in the party’s affairs,” said Wanjigi in his letter.