Kirkuk Council remains deadlocked over the Governor post, six months after the election

Shafaq News/ Six months after the final results of the Iraqi local elections were announced in January, the Kirkuk Council has yet to decide on a governor. While local governments in other governorates are carrying out their duties, Kirkuk, and Diyala as well, remain hostage to the political blocs that have not yet agreed on forming a local government.

Kurdish parties in Kirkuk believe that the position is a "right" for the Kurds and a Kurdish official said on Sunday that the Kurds will not relinquish it. A statement released by the Arab bloc on Monday confirmed that the position is their share as they won six seats in the council. The Turkmen also have a different opinion.

The Kirkuk Governorate Council held its first session on July 11 under the chairmanship of Rakan Said al-Jubouri, who was relieved of his duties as governor for reaching the legal retirement age. He returned to the local authority as a council member and became president by seniority as the oldest member of the council. Despite the participation of 16 members in that session, five members of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, two members of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, six members of the Arab bloc representing the Sovereignty, Leadership, and Arab Alliance parties, two members of the Turkmen Front, and a Christian member of the quota seats, the session did not result in any decisions and the positions of head of the governorate council and governor remained suspended pending the agreements between those political blocs.

"Arab Governor"

"The Arab members of the provincial council call for unity, bearing historical responsibility and preserving the rights and entitlements of the Arab component," said Zaher Anwar al-Assi, a member of the Arab bloc, in a statement to Shafaq News agency. "The defection of any member and his departure from the Arab consensus for any reason whatsoever is a departure from the will and aspirations of our Arab people and a denial of their sacrifices."

He called for forming a local government "with the participation of all components of Kirkuk and the winning forces in the council without exception", and rejected "unilateral agreements" which he said might endanger "the security and stability of Kirkuk."

"The governor position is assigned to Arabs and we refuse to give it up for any reason whatsoever," he continued. "Arabs emerged top in the election with six seats. We also refuse to ally with any of the two Kurdish parties before handing the Arabs detained in the prisons of the Kurdistan Region prisons to Kirkuk courts." 

He also called for "unveiling the fate of the missing detainees, apologizing for all the repressive practices, and recognizing the Iraqi identity of Kirkuk."

Al-Assi said that "law should be enforced by first annexing all the territories affiliated with it into the administration and activating the parliamentary committee tasked with auditing the voter register. We hold the committee responsible for keeping the register in service despite the unrealistic figures."

"The representative of the Christian component must play a neutral role and stand at an equal distance from everyone without siding with any party or component at the expense of the others. They must seek to form a service government that relies on efficiency and integrity."

An official of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) on Sunday said that Kirkuk's 17 Kurdish parties have agreed with each other to push for selecting a Kurdish governor. 

"Officials from all 17 parties met [yesterday] to reach common ground on the formation of Kirkuk's new local government, and the attendees came out with a set of recommendations," said Muhammad Kamal, head of the Kirkuk's KDP branch, to Shafaq News agency.

"The attendees called on the members of the council to hold a quick session to choose a chairperson and a new governor, and the Kurdish parties agreed that the governor should be Kurdish because the component has seven seats in the council," he added.

Turkmen lawmaker Arshad al-Salehi accused" some parties" of seeking the governorship post for the political and financial powers entrusted to it. 

"Everyone is striving for this important post and did not think about the interests of Kirkuk's people from all the components," he said.

Al-Salehi said Kirkuk's political powers should reach a formula for a "coalition government" in which "the Kurds, Turkmen, Arabs, and Christians take part in its administration."

"The Turkmen, who have two seats, have reached an agreement with the KDP, which also have two seats. If we reach an agreement with five Arab members, we might form a majority. Nine members qualify us to form a government and choose a governor."