Somaliland’s main Opposition Party cuts off cooperation with poll agency

[Deeq A.]

HARGEISA——-The main opposition party of the breakaway Somaliland has cut off cooperation with the Somaliland’s National Electoral Commision (NEC) , citing irregularities seeing during voting last Monday.

The leaders of  Wadani party said on Thursday that there were fake ballot papers used during the election, claims dismissed by Somaliland’s National Electoral Commision.

Mohamed Yasiin, Osman Afgaab and Hussein Ahmed Aideed who are Wadani chief agent, deputy chief agent and alternate chief agent respectively have displayed several fake ballot papers during press conference in Hargeisa.

Yasiin told the media that the party stopped its cooperation with NEC.

“After the electoral commission failed to respond our concerns over these fake papers, the Party decided to stop cooperating with the commission,” said Yasiin.

On Wednesday, in a meeting with International Observers, the opposition raised concerns over several irregularities that the party believes to have taken place during presidential poll on Monday.

Meanwhile, Somaliland election body has dismissed the opposition claims that election were merred by irregularities saying the polls were free and fair.

“We have received verbal complain about election irregularities from Wadani Party  but as far we are concerned the elections were free and fair,” said NEC chairman Abdikadir Oman.

On Tuesday, international observers in the breakaway Somaliland expressed concern over electoral malpractice including underage voting saying ” On election day, we are pleased to have observed a poll that in the main seems to have preserved the integrity of the election process while we are aware of some key concerns, those do not seem to be substantive and systematic enough to have undermine the election itself.”

HOL