By Nyanza Wire 
Siaya Governor James Orengo has put ‘tough’ conditions for his return to ODM, with party insiders telling NYANZA WIRE the party has resoundingly rejected all the demands.
Governor Orengo wanted at least three constituencies in Siaya County reserved for his lackeys who shall be issued direct party tickets in addition to his own direct ticket for Siaya County gubernatorial seat.
Orengo also demanded some 25 MCA seats — 20 in Siaya, 3 in Kisumu and 1 each in Homa Bay and Migori.
The high number of Siaya civic seats he’s demanding is to act as buffer to any future impeachment proceedings; which he also wants the party to commit to never institute against him.
On constituencies, Governor Orengo has demanded that ODM Party cedes Ugunja Constituency, Alego Usonga Constituency and Ugenya.
The governor has also demanded that the party picks his acolyte, Embakasi East MP as the party’s Nairobi gubernatorial flagbearer.
Questioned about his links with former President Uhuru, Orengo denied any funding coming from Uhuru, saying his differences with ODM has been documented for long ‘even when Raila was alive’.
Archbishop Okoth, whose mediation efforts Orengo had earlier rejected and then surprisingly agreed to; met the Siaya Governor over the weekend.
Tellingly, on Sunday, the Siaya Governor was later hosted by the anti-government prelate Charles Ongijo, the resident Linda Mwananchi bishop in Nyanza.
Observers versed in the politics of ODM say the Siaya Governor has reached a dead end and is trying to aim for the stars, if only to land on soft ground.
The ODM Party Leader Dr. Oburu Odinga has maintained the rebels will return to the party as normal party members with no leverage to demand anything, terming their behavior as gross indiscipline.
Referring to Orengo as the ‘party leader of trees and birds’, Dr Oburu has told Orengo to exit the party and challenge it at the ballot.
Oburu has been emboldened by the lack of mass exodus form the party which pundits had spent acres of ink penning — and which has now forced Orengo to start early negotiations for eventual return to the ODM Party.