PUK (Patriotic Union of Kurdistan) Politburo member Rıfat Abdullah stated that they are waiting for the Kirkuk City Council members to elect the Kirkuk governor, while KDP posed two conditions for the election of a new governor.

Kirkuk Governor Najmattin Karim had been removed from office by the Iraqi central government shortly before the referendum.

To elect a new governor, the Kirkuk City Council made up of PUK, KDP (Kurdistan Democratic Party) and the Islamic Union (Yekgirtu Islami).

PUK Politburo member Rıfat Abdullah spoke on the matter and said: “We are waiting for the return of the Kirkuk City Council members to elect a new governor for Kirkuk.”

Abdullah stated that the three parties in the city council have to come together to elect a new governor and added: “Baghdad has nothing to do with the election of the new governor. We as a party are waiting for the Kirkuk City Council to reconvene. Whenever the Kirkuk City Council convenes, then we can make the decision for the new governor. We have asked KDP and Yekgirtu for help in having the council members return, and they didn’t say their council members would not be returning.”

Kirkuk Fraternity List Chairperson Muhammed Kemal spoke in the name of the KDP and said the meeting should be held outside of Kirkuk and all Politburo members of the PUK should make a decision about this.

Yekgirtu Islami announced that they are ready for a meeting.