Ochan says that he withdrew from the race after acquiring a new job as a subcontractor with the United States Agency for International Development-USAID.
Benson Ochan, the National Unity Platform-NUP party candidate for
Agago West County Parliamentary seat has withdrawn from the race.
Ochan withdrew from the race on Tuesday in favour of his opponent, Ricky
Richard Anywar, a National Resistance Movement-NRM Party candidate.
Ochan says that he withdrew from the race after acquiring a new job as a
subcontractor with the United States Agency for International
Development- USAID.
The 35-year-old French teacher says he had to weigh his chances of winning the
parliamentary race and a job already at hand.
//Cue in: “I resigned and…
Cue out:…of the race.”//
Ochan has however dismissed allegations that he was bribed by his opponent to
pull out of the race.
Richard Onoba, the Agago Electoral Commission Returning Officer says Ochan is
yet to submit a formal withdrawal letter to the commission indicating his withdrawal
from the race. He, however, acknowledged that Ochan approached him and verbally
disclosed his intension of withdrawing from the race in favour of another
candidate.
“He came to my office yesterday and informed me verbally that he was
withdrawing in favour of another candidate. So I told him to put that in
writing until that is done, he is still in the race,” Onoba said.
Anywar has welcomed the endorsement by Ochan and promised to create a good
working relationship with him once he goes through in the 2021 parliamentary
elections.
Ochan’s withdrawal has now left three candidates in the race for Agago West
Constituency parliamentary seat. They are Ricky Richard Anywar-NRM, Patrick
Odida Luwita and Dickens Oyaka all contesting on Independent tickets.
Joel Ssenyonyi, the National Unity Platform Spokesperson says they had not yet
received any official letter from Ochan on his withdrawal from the race.
In October, Zaituni Yahaya Babikola, another NUP candidate for the Sembabule
Woman parliamentary withdrew for the race. Last week, another NUP candidate
Harriet Musumba who was contesting for the Bundibugyo District Woman Member of
Parliament seat pulled out of the race.
Musumba was to contest against NRM’s Josephine Babungi and
independent candidate Harriet Ntabazi in next year's general elections. She notes
that she has faced several challenges that have affected her pursuit of votes.
