The newly elected Speaker of the Puntland regional Assembly Abdirizack Ahmed Said has appointed the election committee responsible for the election of the upcoming presidential election.
An official communication from the office of the Speaker outlined the appointment of a seven- member committee that shall prepare the modalities and schedule of the elections as deadline continues tick closer.
The former Chairman of regional Election Parliamentary committee Abdiweli Yussuf Warsame was named as the Chairperson of the committee.
Members of the committee include Ahmed Abdirahman, Ja’far Mohamed, Hassan Yussuf, Abdirisakh Omar, Mohamed Dhakuul and Mukkhar Abdirahman.
The Semi- autonomous region’s Parliament is scheduled to choose state’s next leader on Jan. 8, after the lapse of the tenure of the incumbent leader Said Abdullahi Deni who formally declared his candidacy for the top seat for a second term.
Previous attempts by President Deni to introduce a one- man- one vote sparked clashes between pro-government forces and troops loyal to opposition candidates in the capital Garowe.
However, Deni later backed down on his stance for universal suffrage elections and said that the next president would be picked in accordance with existing system where state’s 66 lawmakers elect the President.
