Former opposition leader secures unmatched fifth term
Aol, who served as Leader of Opposition in the 10th Parliament, pledged continuous support to her people and the entire Acholi sub-region.
PFF’s Aol.
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The Former Leader of Opposition in Parliament, Betty Ocan Aol, has won a fifth consecutive term in office after she beat five opponents in the Thursday parliamentary voting exercise.
Aol, a flag-bearer for People’s Front for Freedom, contested with the National Resistance Movement (NRM) party candidate, Joyce Reeni Alima, currently serving as the speaker of Gulu city council.
The other candidates were National Unity Platform party candidate Concy Lagum, Alice Peace Oroma Aneno of Forum for Democratic Change, as well as independents; Jolly Grace Laker and Judith Topaco Okumu Obina.
Aol retained her position with 17,597 votes, while Alima got 5,067 votes. Laker got 3,893 votes, Obina polled 3,411 votes, Lagum collected 566 votes, while Aneno trailed with 384 votes.
There were 120,294 registered voters in Gulu city. However, 30,918 votes were valid while 1,260 votes were invalid.
Speaking to The Weekend Vision shortly after she was declared victorious, Aol thanked her voters in Gulu city for the high level of trust exhibited towards her kindness and service to the public.
Aol, who served as Leader of Opposition in the 10th Parliament, pledged continuous support to her people and the entire Acholi sub-region.
The NRM candidate, Alima, congratulated Aol, saying she had learnt a great deal from the race for future competition.
Back in the 2021 general election, Aol made history by becoming the pioneer Woman Member of Parliament for Gulu city with 14,706 votes, while Laker got 10,458 votes then.