'I am ready to quit as ODM chair,' MP John Mbadi declares

ODM Party Chairman John Mbadi now says he is ready to quit from the party leadership.

Mbadi, who has been at loggerheads with a section of party members since the conclusion of the last General Election, says he has done his bit as the ODM chair for the last 9 years.

The nominated MP has been accused by a section of members of sabotaging the party leader by not attending rallies that have been held by the Azimio coalition in Nairobi City.

“Those who think being chairman is so important to them let them offer themselves to lead, I am very ready to leave the position to them, right now I am the chair but I am not dying to be the chair, I have done by bit they took away my position as the minority leader.

"I am still alive, they can still take away the chairmanship, I will still be alive. I want to repeat it for the record, I want to leave this position of ODM chair,” Mbadi declared.

Mbadi says his party leader Raila Odinga already knows his position on the issue, and the only impediment as of now is that there is no vice chairperson to hand over the mantle to.

“I am not a person to run away from the office before we get good succession, I want to be succeeded, and still I will serve the party in whatever capacity. You know some people think being a chair is something I am dying for, far from the truth, I have done my bit,” he added.

Mbadi came short of declaring he will not be attending the rallies as he said he has better avenues to address issues that pertain to the party.

“The same people at one point did not want me to attend the rallies, so since when did they discover that my attendance to rallies is important? I have other forums to address the party issues. I am better of even in parliament articulating issues of the party,” Mbadi retorted.

Mbadi, who has served as the party chair for the last 9 years, says its time fresh blood came in to lead, adding that he will support the next chair.

He however says he is still a staunch follower of Raila Odinga and he can’t speak against what Raila stands for.

“I am the chairman of the party and I can’t speak against what the party leader says. I will have to resign for me to do that, otherwise, we won’t have a party it will be chaos,” he said.