Lasanod, Somalia – The presidential and vice-presidential elections for the Northeast Somalia administration are taking place today in Lasanod, the capital of Sool region, in a vote closely watched both locally and nationally.
Five candidates are competing for the presidency, including Abdiqadir Ahmed Aw Ali (Firdhiye), Jamal Mohamed Hassan, Abdirisaaq Khalif Ahmed, Rashiid Farah Mahmoud, and Mahmoud Yusuf Hassan. The vice-presidency is also contested by five candidates: Omar Dahir Hassan, Abdirashiid Yusuf Jibril (known as Abwaan), Abdirisaaq Mohamed Jama, Abdulsataar Sheikh Osman (Dhega’ade), and Mohamed Abdi Bulaale.
According to observers, candidates intensified their campaigns late Friday night, making strong last-minute appeals to legislators who will determine the outcome of the ballot. Reports also indicate that some contenders allegedly distributed money to parliamentarians in an effort to secure votes, though the claims have not been independently verified.
The election follows heightened security measures in Laascaanood, where authorities imposed a night-time curfew to ensure order during the electoral process. The vote is expected to set the political direction of the Northeast administration for the next five years and could carry implications for wider federal dynamics in Somalia.
The results are anticipated later today, with attention focused on how the leadership outcome will affect governance, stability, and representation in one of Somalia’s most politically sensitive regions.