“Impactful Confession: Puntland’s President Acknowledges Rigged Election by Federal MPs Amidst Ongoing Political Dispute in Somalia”

Amidst a growing uproar surrounding local council election protocol, the state leader of Puntland, Said Abdullahi Deni, shockingly confessed to rigging Members of Parliament during a pivotal gathering with elders from Mudug region in northern Galkayo city on May 13. According to Abdikarim Guure, a former member of the Puntland state parliament, Deni convened this meeting to issue a formal apology regarding rigging the seats of Omar Mohamud, a sub-clan of the Majeerteen tribe, in the Federal parliament during the indirect 2022 election in Somalia. Although the elders accepted Deni’s apology, they were against his proposal to prolong his term in office, citing such action as contradictory to the Puntland constitution. Highlighting the necessity for prompt elections, the traditional Mudug region elders cautioned Deni about holding contentious local council elections that could jeopardize Puntland’s security and stability. Following the lead of other leaders who have ceased cooperation with the federal government to protest, Deni seeks tenure extension through council elections until Somalia’s presidential election in 2026. As of presently, no official comments have come from the Puntland presidency, and no images or videos from the closed-door talks in Galkayo have been exposed. This recent meeting emphasizes the complicated political dynamics in Puntland amid profound election tensions, driving home the need for transparent dialogue and consensus-building to maintain the region’s stability.