Puntland president to address parliament on current situation in Somalia

GAROWE, Puntland - Said Abdullahi Deni, the president of Somalia's northeastern Federal Member State is expected to address the parliament following his return from Mogadishu, where he spent a month for election talks that ended without a result last week.

Speaking to Garowe Online, lawmakers have confirmed that president Deni will deliver a speech on Puntland's stance on the current standoff in Somalia at the state assembly next Saturday.

"The MPs have been notified of the key session through a text message sent on the mobile phones and we are prepared for Saturday's sitting that will be briefed by the president," said a legislator.

Sources say the president will hold consultations over Puntland position on Somalia's crisis with politicians, elders, and members of the society following the collapse of the latest round of talks on the electoral stalemate in Mogadishu.

Puntland which is the oldest Federal Member State in Somalia along with Jubaland had been at loggerheads with outgoing Somali president Farmajo over the electoral process in the country after Villa Somalia violated Sep 17 election deal.

Farmajo walked out of a key meeting at Afisyoni tent in Mogadishu between his government and the five Federal States after questions raised over his legitimacy and security responsibility of the election.

The government has announced the talks failed, accusing Jubaland and Puntland of being the main obstacle of the negotiations, an allegation that was rejected by the two states as baseless, saying they were unaware of any failed talks.

In what seemed to be a pre-planned plot, the Lower House chamber of Somali Federal Parliament unanimously voted last Monday, April 12 a bill engineered by Somalia Villa that extended Farmajo's previous mandate by two more years.

The decision has drawn wide condemnations from the International partners with the U.S. announced is considering sanctions and Visa restrictions in response to the term extension, which undermines the country's security and stability.

The Upper House has termed the Lower House move as "unconstitutional and onde-sided" since it lacks the approval of the Senators. Farmajo has signed the bill into law, ignoring growing calls.

GAROWE ONLINE