Shafaq News- Al-Muthanna

The Sadiqoon Movement on Wednesday rejected Al-Muthanna’s Provincial Council decision to remove Governor Muhannad Al-Atabi and appoint a successor, cutting ties with Council Chairman Ahmed Mohsen Daryoul.

In a statement, Sadiqoon —led by Qais al-Khazali and holding 28 seats in Iraq’s last parliamentary elections as part of the Shiite Coordination Framework—reaffirmed its commitment to political agreements governing local administrations.

The movement renewed its backing for the National Approach (Al-Nahj Al-Watany) Alliance’s entitlement to the governorship under prior arrangements. It also accused Daryoul of violating directives issued by its central leadership, stressing that he no longer represents the movement.

On Tuesday, the Al-Muthanna Provincial Council —the elected legislative authority of the southern Iraqi province— voted by 10 of 12 members to elect Ahmed Munfi Jawda as governor after accepting Al-Atabi’s resignation. A source described the session to Shafaq News as a “coup” against the National Approach bloc’s agreed share of the post, while the alliance denounced the outcome as “a political coup marred by procedural breaches.”

Al-Atabi later revealed that a judicial injunction had been issued suspending implementation of the council’s decisions related to his resignation. Daryoul affirmed his respect for the court order and urged calm to preserve stability in the province.