ODM Says Raila's Presidential Ticket Application Rumors Were Just April Fools' Day Jokes
If Raila decides to vie for the presidency, it will be his fifth attempt, compared to outgoing Governors Hassan and Oparanya who will be trying out for the first time.
Justin Nzioka 
Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has finally cleared the air on whispers that Raila Odinga had submitted his application to fly the party's flag in the 2022 statehouse race.
ODM official Edwin Sifuna stated that the news on April 1 (yesterday) was only an intended joke for April Fools' Day.
"We took the liberty of joining in the day's pranks with our communication yesterday knowing well our friends in media and politics would not know better," read Sifuna's statement.
Sifuna further maintained that the party principal Raila Odinga had not submitted his party ticket application papers and that he remains reserved over the decision and focusing on the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) agenda first.
The secretary-general added that only two applicants had expressed their interest so far, despite the March 31, 2021 deadline lapse.
According to the two applications received, only Kakamega outgoing Governor Wycliffe Oparanya and his Mombasa counterpart Hassan Joho have since expressed their interest to fly the party's flag in the 2022 presidential race.
