Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi has accused President William Ruto of engineering the removal of his Nairobi counterpart Edwin Sifuna as the Orange Democratic Movement Party Secretary General.

The legislator also threatened to leave the party if the decision by National Executive Committee (NEC) to kick out Sifuna sails through.

“I want to ask members especially from our strongholds, to remain calm, that Sifuna is going nowhere, and I had said that if Sifuna goes, I will also go,” said the ODM deputy party leader.

He alleged President Ruto’s hand in Sifuna’s removal was due his strong opposition to Ruto’s administration and proposals for a coalition between ODM and United Democratic Alliance ahead of the 2027 elections.

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According to the Senator the meeting to kick out Sifuna had the blessings of President Ruto and that it had been agreed the NEC would be held at a later date as agreed between several party leaders including Oburu Odinga.

“I am surprised that he [Oburu] went ahead and made very critical decision of removing Sifuna as the SG,” said Osotsi.

He called on ODM members to stand firm and resist effort by President Ruto to take over the party in a hostile manner.

Osotsi said that there was a group of leaders within ODM who were working with Ruto to wreck the party alleging that decision were being remote controlled.

The Senator said that he had been called by Homa Bay governor Gladys Wanga and party leader Oburu for a Monday meeting to deliberate on the party.

He said that he asked to go to the meeting with Sifuna and it was agreed that Oburu would consult on when to hold the NEC.

According to the deputy party leader it seems the consultations that were done by Oburu were with President Ruto at State House and the removal of Sifuna was finalised.

The leaders were addressing the media at the PanAfric hotel a day after Sifuna was replaced with Catherine Omanyo.

Sifuna on his part insisted he remains the party’s SG and he was going nowhere.

“I remain a loyal member and the duly elected Secretary General of the ODM party, I remain committed to the struggle for a fair, just and democratic Kenya,” he said.

He claimed that the party had been turned into an organ to rubber stamp decisions made at State House adding that they would not allow the party to be taken over.

He said that his removal was illegal, unprocedural and violation of the party constitution while linking it to his opposition to President William Ruto’s re-election bid that is being supported by a section of leaders and members of the party.

Calls for ODM independence also came from Siaya Governor James Orengo who called on President Ruto to leave ODM alone.

“The problem in ODM is President Ruto, we are asking him to let ODM alone,” he said adding that he had not taken the party hostage but was in possession of the party.