Somaliland: Irro Pledges a Firm and Constructive Wadani Party Political Opposition

[Deeq A.]

HARGEISA– Members of the Opposition Wadani have been complemented for their performance during the just concluded Somaliland presidential elections held on the 13th November 2017.
This was stated by the Opposition party leader Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi ‘Irro’ during an address to supporters at the Egal international airport where they had gone to receive their leader upon return from an abroad visit.

According to the interim party leader Abdiqadir Jirde the returning politician was abroad on a personal visit that took him to a number of countries, which he embarked upon immediately after election results were released.

Assembled here are various committees of Wadani party among them women and youth wings, executive and other leaders as well ordinary members and supporters , said Mr Jirde adding that the huge welcome was a measure of trust held for Irro.

Stressing that their leader returns in the wake of a new government formed by his opponent and now president Muse Behi Abdi of Somaliland, the interim party chief said that Wadani having accepted the disputed election results shall now concentrate on Opposition politics.

Taking the podium Abdirahman Irro who was second to now president Muse Behi said “You are all aware that we won the elections square though we are not in government” adding that acceptance of the disputed results was in pursuit of sustaining prevalence peace in the country.

Thanking party members and supporters both in the country and in the Diaspora Irro said that having conceded it was now incumbent that Wadani become a strong but constructive Opposition to the administration of president Muse Behi.

“We are now in the process of realigning internally towards ensuring that we provide constructive Opposition” said Abdirahman Irro stressing on the fact that to successfully achieve this objective a number of structural changes shall be effected.
Said he “We shall not pursue Opposition for the sake of Opposition but with the objective of righting any wrongs within government”

On the issue of the party chairmanship in which he currently holds of which interim leader Abdiqadir Jirde was supposed to officially ascend to of Wadani had won the presidency, Irro said plans are afoot within the party hierarchy as the next move forward.
Abdirahman Irro and his Wadani party lost the Somaliland presidency following disputed election results that saw Muse Behi Abdi and his Kulmiye party declared winner courtesy of 55% of the total votes cast to Wadani’s 40%.

Horn