Somalia: Farmajo’s allies meet key opposition leaders in Mogadishu
MOGADISHU, Somalia – In the midst of the ongoing stalemate before the Somali elections, two close allies of outgoing President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo held a closed door meeting with key opposition leaders on Saturday as they strive to find a lasting solution to the current political stalemate.
Ahmed Qoorqoor, President of Galmudug, and his HirShabelle counterpart Ali Gudlawe met with the 15-member Council of Presidential Candidates [CPC] in Mogadishu to express their views on the term of President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo.
The meeting follows a similar Saturday, which does not owe differences between the two sides. The opposition has called for the removal of Farmajo and argued that his term had expired.
Sources close to the talks noted that the CPC group was disappointed after both Qoorqoor and Gudlawe informed them that they had previously met Farmaajo and that he [Farmaajo] waited for them for a meeting.
It was agreed, however, a source told GO that the two leaders will return today to declare their position. The CPC is tapping the two regional leaders to switch sides, leaving South West State President Abdiaziz Lafta Gareen as the only regional state president on Farmajo’s side.
Sources indicate that Farmaajo is going to a meeting with the CPC on Monday to dissuade opposition leaders from a scheduled same-day meeting of Hawiye clan leaders.
Key CPC leaders including former Presidents Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, former Prime Minister Hassan Khaire and Wadajir party leader Abdirahman Abdishakur all come from the Hawiye clan.
Sources familiar with the talks told Axadlethat Qoor-Qoor and Gudlawe asked for another chance to meet Farmaajo so they can tell him that the CPC rejected his request for a meeting. The leaders promised after the Farmajo meeting; they will announce the final position on extending the term of office.
Some other sources also confirmed that opposition leader Abdirahman Abdishakur Warsame walked out of Saturday’s meeting after Qoor-Qoor and Gudlawe put questions off the agenda as they acted as messengers from Farmaajo instead of making their position on the illegal 2-year-old extension ready.
The opposition alliance in Somalia rejected a request through Galmudug, HirShabelle leaders from Farmajo for a meeting aimed at disrupting the upcoming Hawiye summit on the concept of extension. Farmajo previously refused to sit down with opposition and disrupted Prime Minister Roble’s efforts.
AXADLETM
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