Simon Toolit Akecha, a former member of parliament (MP) for Omoro County in the newly created Omoro district has been picked by his party to be the official flagbearer for the LCV Chairperson’s seat.
Toolit has lost twice to Jacob Oulanyah for the Omoro parliamentary seat. Now, his party says he is favourite to lead the new district which became operation on 1st July.
Addressing the press on Thursday in Gulu town, Patrick Oola Lumumba, the Acting District Chairperson for the party said there were two party members who had expressed interest in the position.
However Lumumba, said through negotiations and consultations within the party, they have zeroed on Toolit as the favourite candidate. The other FDC party member who had shown interest in the seat was Dick Owani. Owani will now run for the LCV Councilor for Town Council on the FDC party ticket.
FDC will not hold a party primary for the District LCV seat, according to Lumumba said.
On his part, Toolit says standing as LCV Chairperson is neither a sign of political failure nor being greedy.
Toolit cited Norbert Mao who was two time Gulu Municipality MP and later served as the LCV for Gulu district before being elected as the DP President.
Toolit defended his move to contest as the District Chairperson saying he wants to serve his people better.
A senior member of the opposition party, Gulu District Woman MP, Betty Aol Ocan lauded both Toolit and Owani for showing maturity and agreeing on mutual grounds. Aol says FDC will now turn its focus to winning all the elective positions in Omoro.
Meanwhile, Owani who came third in the February 2016 election for Omoro County MP says their focus will be to offer better services to the people of Omoro district once elected into office.
Other politicians who have expressed interest in the Omoro LCV Chairperson are; Douglas Peter Okello (NRM), the current Gulu District LCV Chairperson, Francisco Watdok Awori (Independent) and , Isaac Newton Ojok, (NRM), the former Gulu District Vice Chairperson.