Puntland President Seeks to “Influence” Selection Process for Senators and Federal MPs

[Deeq A.]

Garowe (PP News Desk) — Puntland State President Said Abdullahi Deni is reportedly plotting to secure selection of Senators for the Upper House. The electoral agreement stipulates that parliamentary states of Federal Member States will select Senators.

President Deni’s plan, an insider said, is two appoint to candidates but MPs will select one of them identified by President Deni. Controversies surround the selection of candidates from regions such as Nugaal.

President Deni is testing waters with the selection process for Upper House candidates from Puntland.

Traditional leaders and civil society members in Garowe support the candidacy of veteran diplomat Sureer Abshir Musse for the Lower House.

Recently, Abdirahman Farole, former Puntland State President, held a meeting with the Puntland Parliamentary Speaker Abdirashid Jibril, who had a struck a deal with President Deni over the selection of Upper House candidates from Puntland. Farole is lobbying to retain his senatorial seat.

A political analyst in Garowe told Puntland Post that President Deni exploits loopholes in the electoral agreement to boost re-election chances of his ally, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, the former President of the Federal Republic of Somalia.

© Puntland Post, 2021

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