Federal Parliament Speaker Holds Political Alliance Talks After South West Polls

BAIDOA: The Speaker of Somalia’s House of the People, Sheikh Adan Mohamed Nur (Madobe), convened a meeting on Saturday evening with representatives of political parties that contested the recent South West State parliamentary and local council elections, securing a commitment to support the Justice and Solidarity Party’s (JSP) presidential candidate in the upcoming regional presidential poll. The gathering, held in Baidoa, represents a significant political alignment as the South West State presidency race approaches.

The gathering included delegates from Towfiiq, Justice and Unity (TIIR), Waaberi, Equality and Justice (SINCAD), National Vision, and Somali Citizens parties. Official sources said the talks centered on finalizing a political pact between the JSP and other parties that contested the recent direct elections. At the meeting’s conclusion, the participating political parties committed to backing the JSP’s presidential candidate and pledged to maintain close collaboration throughout the regional presidential electoral process. SINCAD spokesperson Abdifitah Hassan Afrah briefed the media on the newly formed alliance.

The meeting follows the official release of the parliamentary and local council election results by the National Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (NIEBC). The JSP, the ruling party led by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, secured 51 of the 95 parliamentary seats, with other parties including NPU (14 seats), Karaama (11 seats), SINCAD (6 seats), and Tiir (3 seats) also winning representation. The parliamentary and local council polls were held across 13 districts as part of the federal government’s push for universal suffrage.

Speaker Madobe is widely seen as the federal government’s preferred candidate for the South West State presidency. A veteran politician and senior JSP figure, he arrived in Baidoa in late April to lead the federal transition team following the resignation of former regional president Abdiaziz Laftagareen. The federal military takeover of Baidoa on March 30, which prompted Laftagareen’s resignation, reshaped the political landscape of South West State. Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre has declared that there will be no elections in Baidoa or across South West other than a one‑person, one‑vote process.

The presidential election will be a crucial test for the new political alignment. However, not all parties that secured parliamentary seats were present at Saturday’s meeting. The NPU, which won 14 seats, was absent from the list of attendees, and its political alignment remains unclear. Some presidential contenders have also raised concerns about the credibility of the electoral process. Before the parliamentary results were released, candidate Ilyaas Ali Nuur warned that a victory for Speaker Madobe would be considered a “theft” of the electoral process, stating: “Should the South West election results not align with our expectations, we will withdraw and disassociate ourselves from the outcome.” Veteran politician Sharif Hassan Sheikh Aden echoed similar concerns: “We cannot accept the outcomes or any vote tampering.”

Security has been significantly heightened in Baidoa for the electoral period. The federal government enacted a nighttime curfew, and police, intelligence agents, and special forces have been deployed throughout the city to ensure stability. The NIEBC has postponed the candidate submission deadline but confirmed that the presidential election will proceed as scheduled.

The outcome of the South West State elections is being closely watched as part of Somalia’s broader transition toward universal suffrage. Saturday’s political alliance in Baidoa suggests that the JSP is consolidating support ahead of the presidential vote. It remains unclear, however, whether the other parties that secured parliamentary representation will accept the alliance or the final presidential result.