Mass Resignation Rocks Northeastern State Parliament as Lawmakers Decry ‘NGO’ Governance

LAASCANOOD – Five members of the Northeastern State parliament have formally resigned, accusing the region’s leadership of abandoning the founding principles of the administration and reducing it to what one lawmaker described as a “private NGO” run by the president and his deputy.

The resignations, announced in a joint statement on Sunday, represent the most significant political defection from the Northeastern State assembly since its establishment in 2025. The lawmakers who stepped down are Makhtal Saciid Maxamuud, Cabdisalaan Cabdullahi Maxamed, Sadiiq Jaamac Muuse, Axmed Cali Maxamed, and Axmed Caabi Shire. All from Sanaag, and from the Warsangeli clan.

‘The Vision Has Been Lost’

In an interview following the announcement, Makhtal Saciid Maxamuud, speaking on behalf of the group, said the decision was made independently and with full conviction. “I confirm and declare that we have fully renounced and resigned from our membership in the Northeastern State parliament, with clear minds and sound judgment,” he said.

He pointed directly to the leadership of President Abdulkadir Ahmed Aw-Ali Firdhiye and his deputy, accusing them of steering the administration away from its original purpose. “The reason that led us to resign is that the goal and objective for which the administration was established have disappeared,” Makhtal stated. “It has become something akin to or worse than an NGO that Firdhiye and Abwaan carry in their pockets.”

A Pattern of Political Instability

The mass resignation follows a similar move by MP Fahiima Yuusuf Quuje, who defected to Somaliland earlier this month after renouncing the Somaliweyn cause she had once championed. Quuje’s departure came just days before the parliament was scheduled to vote on lifting her immunity on charges of “national betrayal.” She fled the region and was later given a hero’s welcome in Hargeisa.

The latest resignations suggest that Quuje’s defection was not an isolated incident but rather a symptom of deeper political fractures within the Northeastern State. The lawmakers who resigned on Sunday did not defect to Somaliland, but their departure underscores the growing disillusionment with the administration’s leadership.

A Fragile Institution

The Northeastern State parliament, which elected Adan Abdullahi Aw-Hassan as its inaugural Speaker in August 2025, was seen as a key milestone in the region’s political journey. The assembly was established as part of Somalia’s evolving federal system, with the Northeastern State (formerly SSC-Khaatumo) being formally recognized as a federal member state by the National Consultative Council in May 2025.

Yet the institution has proven fragile. In a separate incident, a Puntland MP was ousted for participating in a federal-backed conference on SSC-Khaatumo’s status, highlighting the tensions between regional and federal authorities over the contested Sool, Sanaag, and Cayn regions. The Northeastern State itself was born out of conflict, emerging after local forces ousted Somaliland’s administration from Laascaanood in 2023 following months of intense fighting.

What Lies Ahead

Makhtal Saciid and his colleagues have indicated that they will announce their next steps in the coming hours, raising the possibility of further political realignments. The Northeastern State administration has not yet issued an official response to the resignations, though reports suggest that plans are underway to strip the departing lawmakers of their immunity and hold them accountable.

The resignations come at a time of heightened political tension in the region. The defection of Fahiima Quuje to Somaliland was a significant propaganda victory for Hargeisa, and the departure of five more MPs, even if they do not cross the border, further weakens the Northeastern State’s legislative body.

Way Forward

The resignation of five Northeastern State MPs is a stark reminder of the fragility of Somalia’s federal experiment. The administration’s inability to retain the confidence of its own legislators raises serious questions about its legitimacy and effectiveness. If the Northeastern State is to survive as a viable federal member state, its leadership must address the grievances that have driven so many of its representatives to walk away.

For now, the resignations stand as a powerful rebuke to President Firdhiye and his administration. The lawmakers who have stepped down have made their position clear: they will not be silent participants in a project they believe has lost its way.