Rarieda MP Otiende Amollo dismissed claims by ODM Party Chairman John Mbadi that he was de-whipped in Parliament after sending an offensive text to Party Leader Raila Odinga.

Speaking on Citizen tv on Thursday, Day Break show,

Amollo said he exchanges texts with Raila on many issues and denied any of them resulted in him being replaced in the powerful Justice Legal and Affairs Committee (JLAC).

“I communicated with my party leader on many things, even yesterday and on Sunday. The day my party leader talks of any specific text is the day I will need to answer but how any third party can begin talking about communication between me and my party leader, who is my client, I do not understand,” he said.

The legislator denied allegations that his relationship with Raila has deteriorated.

“We are yet to meet because my party leader is still recuperating. So, all this speculation that I was texted, that I was called for a meeting and refused is all nonsense,” Amollo said.

John Mbadi. PHOTO/COURTESY

Mbadi is reported to have said, on Wednesday, that he had sent the former Prime Minister an SMS in which he allegedly threatened to resign as JLAC Vice Chairperson and Rarieda MP.

Amollo is now challenging Mbadi to make public the alleged text message.

He accuses some ODM leaders of plotting for their own selfish political gains at the expense of the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) being pushed by President Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila.

“On our side there are also people who are now focused only on the BBI and handshake and benefits they get in these circumstances of cooperation and have lost sight of our goal in terms of Raila Odinga becoming president,” added Amollo.