BAIDOA: The Chairman of the National Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (NIEBC), Abdikarim Ahmed Hassan, has cautioned citizens, political stakeholders, and media outlets against distributing unofficial election results while vote counting continues across South West State. The chairman stated that only results formally announced by the electoral authority will be recognized as legitimate, and anyone circulating unconfirmed information may face legal consequences under national law.
“Those who publicize outcomes not officially issued by the commission will be subject to legal action in accordance with the nation’s statutes,” Abdikarim said. The warning comes as public and political actors eagerly await the final outcomes of the regional polls, which are being closely watched as part of Somalia’s broader shift toward direct democratic elections. In recent days, unverified tallies and reports circulating on social media have generated speculation about preliminary results in several districts. The commission urged patience and called on all parties to rely exclusively on verified information distributed through official channels.
The electoral body reaffirmed that the vote counting process is proceeding smoothly across affected polling stations, with officials continuing the verification and compilation of ballots before the official announcement of results. The NIEBC had previously published the official list of polling stations for the South West State elections, designating a wide range of schools, health centers, and public halls as voting venues across 13 districts in the Bay, Bakool, and Lower Shabelle regions. More than 376,000 registered voters participated in the historic one‑person, one‑vote polls, with 394 parliamentary candidates and 1,297 local council aspirants contesting the seats.
The elections in South West State mark a significant step in Somalia’s transition away from decades of indirect, clan‑based voting systems. Preparations for the polls had been underway for weeks, with the NIEBC conducting voter registration across 91 centers and implementing security measures to ensure a safe environment. The federal government also enacted a nighttime curfew in Baidoa during the electoral period to help maintain order.
While local council and parliamentary results are still being tabulated, the NIEBC has already taken steps to announce a winner in the South West State presidential election. Adan Mohamed Nur (Madobe) was declared the winner after securing 48 percent of the vote in the third round, defeating his opponent, former president Abdiasis Laftagareen. The presidential election was conducted separately from the local and parliamentary polls. The commission has since released the official results for the parliamentary elections, confirming the distribution of seats and the names of elected representatives.
The NIEBC has emphasized that the integrity of the electoral process depends on adherence to established protocols during the tabulation and authentication phases. Once the counting and verification processes are fully finalized and authenticated, the definitive outcomes for all remaining races will be publicly disclosed in accordance with electoral laws and regulations. The commission has previously warned against the spread of false election results and reiterated that unofficial tallies circulating online should be disregarded entirely.
Recommended Reading on ftlsomalia.com:
- Electoral Commission Reveals Voting Locations for South West State Elections
- South West State Elections Begin with 394 Parliamentary and 1,297 Local Council Candidates
- Adam Madobe Wins South West Presidential Election with 48% of the Third Round Votes
- Somalia’s NIEBC Unveils Official South West State Election Results
- Somalia’s NIEBC Warns of False Election Results as Counting Intensifies
