Photo/Somali Times
The Federal Government of Somalia’s Minister of Planning, Jamal Mohamed Hassan, has called on Puntland’s ”Governor Said Abdullahi Deni to step down in the run-up to the election, saying he is a presidential candidate.
In a brief statement on his Twitter account, Minister Jamal said, ”Governor Deni, a presidential candidate, must step aside from all electoral matters and immediately stop interfering in the affairs of the Electoral Technical Committees. We cannot remain silent about Puntland’s blatant interference and disrespect,” he said.
Minister Jamal said President Deni had delayed announcing his candidacy, in order to influence and control the upcoming elections in Puntland. He said clan elders, representatives and parliamentary candidates have all expressed serious concerns about the extent of fraud, intimidation and interference in President Deni’s election.
Somalia’s planning minister is a member of the lower house of parliament in Puntland, and he also wants to return to office.
Somali Times is aware that ‘Governor Deni and Minister Jamal have been at loggerheads for some time. Minister Jamal Hassan is one of Lobby boy President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo’s closest friends.