Candidates accused of exploiting oil jobs to win votes in Iraq's Diyala

Shafaq News – Diyala

Some parliamentary candidates are misusing the issue of oil field hiring by spreading false promises and misleading information among unemployed youth, a senior official in Diyala warned on Wednesday.

Sami al-Tamimi, the deputy head of the Diyala Provincial Council, stated to Shafaq News that recruitment in oil fields will take place exclusively through the province’s official employment office and per approved procedures. He stressed that candidates collecting résumés or job applications “have no legal authority” and that such actions are “illegitimate and unrecognized.”

Al-Tamimi said the council is closely monitoring the matter to prevent political or electoral exploitation of job seekers’ hardships. He urged residents to ignore personal pledges and rely solely on official announcements.

Diyala has over one million registered voters and is allocated 14 seats in the parliament.

Iraq’s parliamentary campaign period began on October 3, with the vote scheduled for November 11, 2025.

Read more: Iraq’s 2025 Parliamentary Elections — What You Need to Know