Garowe  (WDN) – Puntland lawmaker Mukhtar Abdirahman Ahmed has issued a stark warning over the direction of the administration led by Said Abdullahi Deni, accusing it of steering the region toward political fragmentation and instability.

In unusually blunt remarks, the MP said Puntland is “drifting back to 1998”, a reference to the period before the state’s consolidation arguing that the cohesion which once underpinned the administration is rapidly eroding.

“The unity that brought Puntland together is breaking down,” he said, pointing to what he described as deepening divisions under the current leadership.

Mukhtar further revealed that traditional elders and prominent community figures from Puntland have traveled to Mogadishu to engage directly with the federal government—an extraordinary step he framed as a vote of no confidence in the regional administration.

“Our traditional leadership has gone to Mogadishu out of frustration with the political direction of President Deni,” he said, underscoring the scale of discontent.

The comments reflect a broader surge in criticism facing the Puntland government in recent months. Voices of dissent have emerged from across the political and social spectrum—including clan elders, elements within the security forces, intellectuals, and opposition figures—raising questions about governance, cohesion, and the region’s political trajectory.

While the Puntland administration has yet to formally respond to the latest remarks, the growing chorus of criticism suggests mounting pressure on the leadership at a time of increasing internal and external challenges.

WardheerNews