Monday December 7, 2020
GAROWE (HOL) - Puntland President Abdullahi Deni has urged President Mohamed Farmaajo to pull out federal troops from Gedo region to allow for ‘free and fair’ elections reinforcing earlier calls by his Jubbaland counterpart Ahmed Madobe.
Speaking during the on-going Somalia Partnership Forum in Mogadishu, Deni said Jubbaland had the right to conduct elections within its jurisdiction without pressure from Mogadishu."The federal government should withdraw troops in Gedo for the region to conduct free and fair elections," Deni said.
"Jubbaland has the legal authority to administer its elections, as do the other Federal Member States. This is an obstacle to free elections," he added.
The call by Deni comes a day after Jubbaland declared elections will not take place in Gedo unless Farmaajo withdraws the federal troops deployed there early this year.