Garowe (PP News Desk) — The power struggle between Puntland State President Said A. Deni and his Vice President Ahmed Elmi has intensified following the deletion of the Vice President’s message of condolence in the Facebook account of Puntland State Television. Mr Elmi had posted in Facebook a message of condolence to the family of the former Mudug Governor whom Al-shabaab killed yesterday in a suicide bombing.
In response to the denial of the privilege to post statements in the Facebook account of Puntland State Television, the media team of the Vice President’s Office has created a Facebook account. “We are pleased to bring you the official Facebook handle of the Office of the Vice President of Puntland government. Stay tuned for the latest news and day-to-day activities of the Office” reads an introductory note.
It is not clear if Puntland State Government’s media outlets have been instructed to deny the Office of the Vice President the privelege to post updates or statements in Facebook and Twitter handles of the presidency.
Efforts to end the deadlock over appointments approved by President Deni have not succeeded. Puntland Parliament will resume sessions in June despite the Covid-19 health emergency. The agenda for the first session of the Parliament has yet to be shared with MPs. Puntland President cannot fire his Vice President, who, like the President, was elected by MPs.
Puntland Constition does not specify on what grounds the incumbent President can ask for the Parliamentary Speaker to organise a vote of confidence session against the Vice President. Despite this disadvantage Puntland President controls the legislature, an indication that Ahmed Elmi’s days as a Vice President may be numbered.
© Puntland Post, 2020
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