The Luo Council of Elders in Siaya County has termed as premature and inconsequential the ongoing debate over who was the right person to succeed Raila Odinga as Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Party leader.

The elders are calling on politicians to immediately end the debate, insisting that it will not only polarise the Luo community alone but the nation at large.

Speaking after a meeting with ODM officials, the elders — led by the Siaya branch chairman, Richard Okoth Otieno — said the debate would also jeopardise Raila’s bid for the African Union (AU) Commission chairperson.

Mzee Okoth called on politicians, especially those from Nyanza, to tone down and stop calling each other names as they jostle for positions in the ODM Party.

Luo council of elders’ national organizing secretary, Vitalis Awandu Ondewe said Raila was not about to quit politics and has himself said so on several occasions.

The council treasurer, Pamela Kojiro, urged political leaders to focus their energy on serving the public and delivering on their mandates.

She said that the leaders must preach unity and embrace each other if the country is to develop.

The national vice chairman of the council, Mzee James Ayaga, said jostling for power and verbal war amongst top ODM officials will only allow the party’s opponents to infiltrate and destroy it.

Ayaga said there was a need for members of the Luo community to learn to sort out their differences quietly.