Deni Fires Back at Hassan Sheikh: Puntland Rejects Election Plan, Calls for Opposition Unity

The Puntland president brands the federal electoral initiative unacceptable and urges Somalia’s opposition leaders to convene an emergency summit amid escalating political tensions.

GAROWE, Somalia (WDN ) — Puntland President Said Abdullahi Deni has sharply criticized Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and his federal government, rejecting their proposed election plan as a unilateral initiative and urging opposition leaders to convene an emergency meeting to determine a common response.

Speaking on Sunday at the opening of the 59th session of the Puntland House of Representatives, Deni accused the federal government of pursuing an electoral agenda without the necessary political consensus, warning that the plan could deepen Somalia’s already serious political divisions.

“The election announced by Hassan Sheikh is unacceptable. The matter must be addressed as soon as possible, and the various segments of Somali society must come together to deliberate on it,” Deni said.

The Puntland president called on opposition figures across Somalia to hold an urgent summit to discuss the federal government’s proposed elections and coordinate their response to President Hassan Sheikh’s plans. His appeal signals a push to consolidate opposition forces around a shared position on the country’s disputed electoral process.

Deni’s remarks come amid continuing tensions over the direction of Somalia’s electoral arrangements and the federal government’s relationship with federal member states and political opponents. At the heart of the dispute is whether the proposed process can command broad national acceptance or risks being viewed as an initiative driven primarily by the federal leadership.

Addressing Puntland lawmakers, Deni also claimed that his administration had succeeded in preventing and dismantling what he described as militias established by Hassan Sheikh’s government inside Puntland. He did not provide further details in the remarks reported.

The accusation underscores the depth of mistrust between Garowe and Mogadishu, where political disagreements increasingly overlap with concerns about security and the federal balance of power.

Deni’s call for an emergency opposition summit now places the focus on whether Somalia’s opposition leaders can agree on a common strategy. Their response could have significant implications for efforts to resolve the electoral dispute through dialogue—or for the risk of a further escalation in the confrontation between the federal government and its critics.

For Somalia, the central challenge remains finding an electoral arrangement that enjoys broad political legitimacy, respects the country’s constitutional framework and avoids turning a dispute over the transfer of power into another source of instability.

WardheerNews