Confusion as Nineveh council votes on purported resignation of governor

The Nineveh Provincial Council (NPC) on Tuesday voted in favor of accepting a purported resignation letter from governor Mansour al-Mareed, a political source said.

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Nineveh Provincial Council (NPC) on Tuesday voted in favor of accepting a purported resignation letter from governor Mansour al-Mareed, a political source said.

The NPC elected Mareed in mid-May after incumbent governor Nawfal al-Akub was sacked and an arrest warrant was issued against him by the Iraqi federal government following the tragic Mosul ferry sinking that killed over 100 people in late March.

A local source told Kurdistan 24 that the NPC held a meeting today during which they “voted to approve the resignation of Mr. Mareed.” The source could not elaborate further as confusion mounted following a statement from the governor’s office.

A spokesperson from his office denied Mareed had submitted his resignation to the council, claiming the “sacking” of the governor was “illegal,” pointing out that the national parliament had already voted to freeze the work of provincial councils.

The Iraqi parliament vote came late October amid nationwide anti-government protests that began at the start of the month and have so far resulted in the deaths of over 320 demonstrators and injury to 15,000 more as a violent crackdown continues.

The legislature reportedly authorized provincial governors to take over the duties of councils.

“The dissolved provincial council is illegitimate and cannot be dealt with at all,” the spokesman added.

Following this, Mareed himself told a news conference that he was continuing his work, threatening what he called “corrupt” officials with prosecution. “I categorically deny submitting my resignation to the provincial council,” he said. “This council is dissolved anyway.”

Mareed said the Council of Ministers had informed him to continue his duties.

Editing by Nadia Riva