Abdi Hashi, the Speaker of the Upper House, has denied reports circulating in the media that a polls deal has been agreed.
On February 18, Mohamed Abdirizak, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, said that a polls deal has been agreed and that the only thing remaining is its formal announcement.
However, Speaker Hashi denied those reports.
Specifically, he denied that any deal reached touches on issues affecting Somaliland.
Speaker Hashi is the most senior politician from Somaliland in the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS).
He has often spoken out against the leadership of President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo.
Hashi accuses Farmaajo of implementing policies that hurt Somaliland.
The Upper House leader said that no representative from the northern breakaway region of Somaliland has been invited to the talks designed to solve the elections impasse.
Somaliland has 46 Members of Parliament (MPs) in the Lower House and 11 Senators in the Upper House.