CIC welcomes resignation of S. West polls committee

Federal Member state leaders have welcomed the resignation of South West state presidential electoral committee noting the absence of state MPs could not guarantee a free and fair process.

The Council for Inter-State Cooperation (CIC), an umbrella bringing together FMS leaders safe for HirShabelle’s accused the Federal Government of sustained efforts to frustrate the process.

“The Council welcomes the resignation of the members of the electoral committee after they were convicted that the members of parliament who are the base of a free and fair electoral process were abducted,” CIC said.

While announcing their resignations Monday, the committee said it could not proceed to execute its mandate because the state MPs were being held in Mogadishu. The accusations follows claims that Lower House speaker Mohamed Mursal had summoned the MPs to Mogadishu for ‘instructions on how to vote’.

In their statement today, CIC adds that the government’s interference in the elections which were scheduled for November 17 risks plunging the region into instability and even war adding that Prime Minister Hassan Khaire and President Mohamed Farmaajo will be responsible for the consequences.

The state leaders said they will not recognise any election results which go against the set procedures.