Somalia Northeastern State – Said Abdullahi Deni, the president of Somalia’s northeastern federal state, is expected to speak to parliament after his return from Mogadishu, where he spent a month in electoral negotiations that ended without a result last week.
Speaking to Garowe Online, lawmakers have confirmed that President Deni will deliver a speech on Northeastern State’s position on the current standoff in Somalia at the State Assembly on Thursday.
“MEPs have been notified of the key session via a text message sent on mobile phones and we are prepared for tomorrow’s meeting which will be briefed by the President,” a lawmaker said.
Sources say the president will hold consultations on Northeastern State’s stance on Somalia’s crisis with politicians, elders and members of society following the collapse of the latest round of talks on election deaths in Mogadishu.
Northeastern State, Somalia’s oldest federal state along with Jubaland, had disagreed with outgoing Somali President Farmajo over the country’s election process after Villa Somalia violated the September 17 election agreement.
Farmajo walked out of a key meeting in the Afisyoni tent in Mogadishu between his government and the five federal states after questions raised about his legitimacy and security responsibility for the election.
The government has announced that the negotiations failed and accused Jubaland and Northeastern State of being the main obstacle to the negotiations, a claim that was rejected by the two states as unfounded and said they were not aware of any failed negotiations.
In what appeared to be a planned plot, the Underal chamber of the Somali Federal Parliament unanimously voted last Monday, April 12, a bill drafted by Somalia Villa that extended Farmajo’s previous mandate by another two years.
The decision has drawn strong condemnation from international partners with the United States, considering sanctions and visa restrictions in response to the concept of extension, undermining the country’s security and stability.
The upper house has described the lower house as “unconstitutional and one-sided”, as it lacks approval from the senators. Farmajo has signed the bill and is ignoring growing calls.
AXADLETM
