The Leader of Opposition in Parliament (LOP), Betty Aol Ocan has distanced herself from the Acholi Parliamentary Group (APG) endorsement of Jacob Oulanyah for Speaker of the eleventh parliament.
Aol said during an interview on Sunday in Gulu City that it was not right for the APG to take a position on the matter without consent of its members and executive.
The Leader of opposition who is also the Gulu Woman member of parliament and incoming Gulu City woman MP said she did not and will not be part of any endorsement that is tribal and polarizing as to affect the function of the parliament.
Her statement comes after the APG Chairperson Philips Polly Ojara Okin early this month declared during a press conference from Gulu City that they have endorsed the Deputy Speaker of Parliament Jacob Oulanyah for Speaker of the eleventh parliament.
At the declaration of support for Oulanyah, Okin was flanked by 14 newly elected legislators from the Acholi region. Okin revealed that he had consulted with Acholi MPs, religious and cultural leaders and Oulanyah himself before the decision was made.
But Aol noted that power to make decisions on behalf of APG is not vested in the Chairperson alone but the members and executives, she wondered if the endorsement was a slip of tongue by Okin.
Aol who subscribes to the Forum for Democratic Party (FDC) is the second legislator from Acholi to denounce Oulanyah`s endorsement by APG.
Last week the Kilak South Member of Parliament Gilbert Olanya who is also the APG General Secretary denied being part of the decision-making to endorse Oulanyah. Olanya criticized the endorsement as sectarian and tribalistic.
Oulanyah is seeking to unseat his boss, Rebecca Kadaga who has been Speaker for the last 10 years. The two have already declared their interests to run for the same office come May.
