Somalia’s Southwest leader quits ruling party, rejects new constitution
MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – The president of Southwest state, Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed, widely known as Laftagareen, said Wednesday he has resigned as deputy chairman of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s Justice and Solidarity Party (JSP), escalating an already deepening rift between the federal government and the regional state. In a statement posted on X, Laftagareen said his […]
Black News 
MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – The president of Southwest state, Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed, widely known as Laftagareen, said Wednesday he has resigned as deputy chairman of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s Justice and Solidarity Party (JSP), escalating an already deepening rift between the federal government and the regional state.
In a statement posted on X, Laftagareen said his resignation takes immediate effect and framed the decision as a matter of principle, citing what he described as unconstitutional actions that threaten national unity. He emphasized that his position remains anchored in safeguarding Somalia’s unity, democratic principles and the rule of law.
Speaking later at a press conference, the regional leader rejected the newly introduced constitution backed by the federal government and approved by parliament in a contentious process. He said he recognizes only the provisional constitution adopted in 2012 as the country’s legitimate legal framework, dismissing the new charter as lacking consensus and risking further division.
Laftagareen also leveled serious accusations against the federal government, alleging collusion with the militant group Al-Shabaab. He did not provide evidence but said the claims are widely known. He further accused authorities in Mogadishu of facilitating arms smuggling into his state to support militias aimed at undermining his administration.
Using a pointed metaphor, Laftagareen likened Somalia’s five federal member state leaders to five cows, saying Villa Somalia had first targeted Puntland, then Jubaland, and now Southwest state. He warned that Galmudug’s leader could be next, portraying a pattern of political confrontation with regional administrations.
His remarks come a day after Southwest state announced it was severing ties with the federal government. Laftagareen reiterated that federal authorities would no longer have access to the region and that officials from Mogadishu would be barred entry until the government reverses its current course and a mutually acceptable path forward is reached.
Tensions between Mogadishu and Southwest state have been building in recent weeks. Laftagareen accused the federal government of arming clan militias in an effort to weaken his leadership – a strategy he suggested has failed to achieve its intended outcome.
With Laftagareen’s departure from the JSP leadership, President Mohamud now retains the support of only two of Somalia’s five regional states, a shift that could complicate his efforts to secure a one-year term extension and advance plans for universal suffrage elections.
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