Ex-PUK leader questions legitimacy of Kirkuk governor amid political controversy

Shafaq News/ On Monday, Former Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) leader Mullah Bakhtiar questioned Rebwar Taha’s continued role as Kirkuk governor, alleging that the party’s current leadership sacrificed Khanaqin positions to secure Arab votes for the new governor.

Bakhtiar made his statements during a talk show on Kurdistan 24 TV, where he confirmed that “Khanaqin was sacrificed for Kirkuk.”

“The fate of Kirkuk Governor Rebwar Taha remains uncertain due to political rejection.”

The former PUK leader stated that “during the formation of the new local government in Kirkuk, Khanaqin was betrayed, and it was decided not to allocate any positions to the Kurds.”

In addition, he addressed key internal issues within the PUK and the situation in Al-Sulaymaniyah in the Kurdistan Region during the program.

On August 10, the governor and head of the Kirkuk provincial council were elected in Baghdad without the participation of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) bloc and several Arab representatives. Rebwar Taha from the PUK was appointed governor and Ibrahim Mohammed Hafez who represents the Arab community as president of the provincial council. Before the meeting, the KDP, Arab bloc, and Turkmen Front each announced their boycott, calling the session “illegal” and noting they had not been invited.