Opposition presidential candidate Thursdayannounced that he has decided to pull out of the forthcoming Puntland presidential election race, Garowe Online reports.
Mohamed Ali Yusuf ‘Gaagaab’-who served as interim Vice President for one year and finance minister under former President Mohamud Musse Hirsi (Adde)’s incumbency-told a press conference in Puntland capital of Garowe that he abandoned his contention and made concession to a fellow presidential candidate Ali Haji Warsame.
Gaagaab said he wouldn’t longer seek to compete for the state’s top political position: “I have been in Puntland for many years; I had been holding key positions since the establishment of SSDF, I became a lawmaker, vice president and finance minister. After I evaluated the prevailing situations, I decided to relinquish my bid for Puntland president and vacate the space for presidential candidate Ali Haji Warsame”.
Warsame thanked Gaagaab for his decision and noted that he will concentrate in his future plans on the security, good governance and economy if he is elected as Puntland president.
Meanwhile in Garowe, the new members of Puntland Parliament chose five MPs for the parliament speakers’ election committee, said the interim speaker Ali Ahmed Osman.
The new parliamentarians are expected to vote for the new speaker and his two deputies on 4th of January 2014.
