Kirkuk governor vows to resign if Turkmen candidate is appointed
Shafaq News- Kirkuk
Kirkuk Governor and Minister of State Mohammed Samaan Agha reaffirmed on Wednesday his commitment to a political agreement on rotating the governor’s post among the province’s ethnic and religious communities.
Speaking to reporters, Samaan said he would resign if the provincial council convenes and selects a Turkmen candidate in line with the agreed timetable.
The agreement was clear and established constitutional entitlements and specific deadlines, he said, adding that until the agreed deadline expires, the governor’s post remains allocated to the Turkmen component.
“The political parties didn’t want to exceed or shorten the period specified in the agreement,” he noted, adding that adherence to the agreed timetable was essential to implementing the deal.
Regarding the administration of the province, Samaan said he currently serves as a minister of state and represents Kirkuk at the direction of the prime minister. The Deputy Governor Rebwar Taha was following up on a meeting involving Iraqi businesspeople and Turkish representatives, alongside other visits with the Turkish ambassador.
On the Turkmen Front’s candidate for governor, Samaan said the front was ready to assume the position and was waiting for the other political parties to honor the agreement.
He noted that the deal covers the Arab, Kurdish, Turkmen, and Christian communities. The principle of rotating positions has also shaped the distribution of posts in the federal government, the Iraqi parliament, and Kirkuk’s provincial council, he said.
Asked whether the rotation system would continue in future administrations, Samaan described Kirkuk as politically stable, attributing that stability to consensus among its communities.
Despite Iraq’s financial difficulties, Samaan said 53 projects had been implemented in Kirkuk during his administration. He added that the local government had sought cooperation with Turkey, Oman, and other parties to support the province and improve its services.
Samaan stressed the importance of uniting political and administrative efforts to serve Kirkuk and strengthening cooperation among the executive, legislative, and oversight authorities.
Earlier, acting Kirkuk Governor Rebwar Taha said the province was experiencing an administrative vacuum following Mohammed Samaan Agha’s appointment as minister of state. Taha also said the Iraqi Turkmen Front was seeking to retain the governorship by nominating a replacement.
The uncertainty comes amid continued anticipation over how the power-sharing agreement will be implemented and who will take over the governorship for the remainder of the term.
