- Isiolo governor Guyo Abdi Ibrahim announced on Tuesday, October 20, that he was willing to give up his UDA ticket ahead of the 2027 polls
- The governor issued a stern warning to rivals considering defecting to former deputy president Rigathi Gachagua's Democracy for Citizens Party over ticket disputes
- Guyo also cautioned local politicians against invoking President William Ruto's name to intimidate competitors or influence county politics
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Nancy Odindo is a Current Affairs Editor at TUKO.co.ke, covering political and world news. Odindo has over six years of journalism experience and joined TUKO.co.ke in 2023.
Isiolo governor Guyo Abdi Ibrahim has declared he is prepared to surrender his possible UDA party ticket to rival aspirants on the condition that they commit to backing President William Ruto's re-election bid in 2027.
Source: Facebook
The governor made the announcement on Tuesday, October 20, urging politicians in Isiolo county to settle their ambitions within the UDA fold rather than crossing over to former deputy president Rigathi Gachagua's Democracy for Citizens Party.
Guyo warns against using Ruto's name
The governor took direct aim at politicians who invoke the president's name to intimidate competitors or exert pressure in county-level contests, describing the practice as counterproductive and disrespectful to voters.
"Those who are fond of using President William Ruto's name to stop. Ruto cannot give you votes. You need to seek your own votes and stop mentioning Ruto's name, let us support him together," Guyo said.
He went further, cautioning against the use of government administrators to relay presidential messaging as a political tool.
"There is no need of calling the county commissioner to pass what the president has said. That is stupidity," the governor stated, adding that the president had no role to play in Isiolo's internal political affairs.
Guyo challenges rivals to sell their agenda
Rather than relying on the president's endorsement, Guyo called on aspirants eyeing his seat to make a case based on their own merits and his perceived shortcomings.
"Those leaders seeking election, instead of using the president's name, tell residents why I have failed and why you think you are better than me. People should sell the agenda," he said.
On the question of the UDA ticket, Guyo was direct: he acknowledged that the ticket was his to lose but said he would willingly step aside for a rival who chose to remain in the party and support Ruto's second term.
"I know the UDA ticket is mine, but I am ready to forfeit the ticket as long as you support Ruto's re-election, and then I will defeat you with that ticket. So the ticket should not be a reason for you to run to Wamunyoro," he warned.
The governor's remarks come at a politically sensitive moment, with a number of UDA-affiliated leaders from the Mt. Kenya region publicly shifting allegiance to Gachagua's outfit in the months leading up to the 2027 General Election.
The realignments have added pressure on sitting governors and Members of Parliament in the region to either consolidate their positions within UDA or seek alternative political vehicles.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
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