Acholi Parliamentary Group (APG), a caucus which brings together Members of Parliament (MPs) from the Acholi region has failed to conduct fresh elections in a bid to elect new leadership due court cases and busy parliamentary schedule.
The election was set for yesterday. However a section of the legislators are battling election petitions while others are vetting Ministers in Parliament.
Gilbert Olanya, the MP for Kilak South County who is the current General Secretary for the group says the current court cases against some of its members made it impossible to conduct the elections.
Olanya explained that only 16 of the 25 MPs attended the meeting which was meant to elect new leaders of APG. He explained that because of a lack of quorum, the election was postponed to a yet-to- be set date.
There are 25 MPs from Acholi sub region with ten female legislators.
Prof Morris Ogenga-Latigo, the Agago North MP, has stood out as the favourite to be elected as the new chairperson for Acholi Parliament Group (APG) in the 10th Parliament.
Latigo (FDC), who was Leader of the Opposition in the 8th Parliament, last Friday, expressed interest in the position while addressing political, religious and cultural leaders in the region at St Monica Tailoring School in Gulu Town.
He has received backing from MPs Hillary Onek (Lamwo County), Gilbert Olanya (Kilak South County), Polly Phillip Okin Ojara (Chua West) and Lucy Akello (Amuru Woman MP), all backed Prof Latigo’s bid, describing him as the right man for the job.
Norbert Mao, the DP President who has been critical of the group over its underperformance in the 9th Parliament also backed Latigo describing him as an experienced politician who can offer better leadership.
However, Prof Latigo’s parliamentary seat is being challenged in court by his rival Amos Okot.
