Migori governor Okoth Obado looks on as his DG Mwita Mahanga addresses the crowd last week

Migori governor and ODM candidate in August 8 poll Okoth Obado has claimed he won the April 24 primaries because of his popularity on the ground.

Speaking at funeral in Ngege area, Suna East constituency on Thursday Obado also denied claims that he bought the certificate.

He said he defeated his rivals in the race, in results which were contested by former Rongo MP Ochilo Ayako and Nyatike politician Anne Omodho Anyanga.

Both Obado and Ayako were announced winners by two parallel returning officers causing the ODM party to call off the whole exercise and resort to selection process.

“Let nobody cheat you and say I stole votes, those who stole the votes are known and did it openly,” Obado told mourners.

Social media users in WhatsApp and Facebook have been trolling Obado for using millions to buy a piece of paper, while the ground was hostile with him.

But Obado said during the primaries he won in all six constituencies against Ayako and he was only defeated in Rongo and Awendo constituencies where Ayako “scored using his hands” otherwise if IEBC was to do the exercise then he could have defeated him even in the two area with a huge margin “like the distance between heaven and earth.”

During the Madaraka Day celebration last week on Thursday at Migori county stadium after being cleared by IEBC, Obado said he never bought the ODM nomination certificate as claimed by his rivals.