Sunday April 18, 2021
MOGADISHU (HOL) - Two of Farmaajo’s key allies in the ongoing political stalemate are expected to declare their position on the term extension matter in a meeting with opposition presidential candidates.
Ahmed Qoorqoor, the President of Galmudug and his HirShabelle counterpart Ali Gudlawe will be meeting with the 15 member Council of Presidential Candidates (CPC) this evening in Mogadishu to make known their position.
Today’s meeting follows a similar one Saturday which failed owing to differences between the two sides.Sources close to the talks noted that the CPC group was disappointed after both Qoorqoor and Gudlawe informed them they had earlier met Farmaajo and that he (Farmaajo) was waiting for them for a meeting.
It was however agreed, a source told HOL that the two leaders return today to declare their position.
The CPC is banking on the two regional leaders to switch sides leaving South West State President Abdiaziz Lafta Gareen as the only regional state president on Farmaajo’s side.
It is understood that Farmaajo is fronting for a meeting with CPC on Monday to dissuade the opposition leaders from a planned meeting on the same day by Hawiye clan leaders.
Key CPC leaders among them former Presidents Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, former PM Hassan Khaire and Wadajir Party leader Abdirahman Abdishakur all hail from the Hawiye clan.
Meanwhile Farmaajo met with representatives of the international community on Saturday where he was reportedly asked to drop the extension idea and return to the negotiating table.