Thursday January 7, 2021
MOGADISHU (HOL) - Wadajir Party leader Abdirahman Abdishakur has expressed optimism over the resumption of talks with the Federal Government over contentious issues which have resulted in elections disputes and heralded a political crisis in the country.
The former minister and fierce critic of President Mohamed Farmaajo said Prime Minister Mohamed Roble has pledged to engage opposition groups.
“Today I held a meeting with PM Roble at his office. We discussed complaints about the electoral committees, the Somaliland issue & the Gedo issue,” said Abdishakur. “ He promised that he is ready to address these complaints & to ensure a peaceful and transparent election.”
The presidential candidate that the meeting also touched on ‘election campaign freedoms including the holding of public meetings and demonstrations, as well as the need to work together towards the country's stability.’Long-running disputes between the Federal Government, Federal Member States and opposition groups have paralysed preparations for elections amid accusations against Farmaajo for seeking to manipulate the process.
Jubbaland and Puntland are yet to form their respective elections committees and have ganged up in pushing for the withdrawal of federal troops in Gedo region as a precondition for elections.
The meeting between Abdishakur and the PM comes in the wake of another round of talks between Farmaajo and FMS leaders.
So far, South West’s Abdiaziz Lafta-Gareen and his Galmudug counterpart Ahmed Qoor-qoor have held talks with the president.