Speaking at a press conference in Baidoa on Sunday, South West Information Minister Mohamed Ibrahim Bilal claimed that an armed faction is being secretly organized in Mogadishu with the intention of undermining the region’s peace and stability.

“Somalis are aware—and we are aware—of where the President of South West stands on issues of party politics and state-building in Somalia,” said Bilal, referring to President Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed (Laftagareen).

“We will not accept a group creating chaos in Mogadishu to be sent here to disrupt our administration.”

Bilal, who appeared to echo the views of President Laftagareen, emphasized that the South West administration would not tolerate any “covert armed groups” aiming to threaten its authority or endanger civilians.

He added that credible intelligence suggests plans are underway to transfer militia forces into South West territory, warning that any such attempt would be met with both legal and military consequences.

President Laftagareen recently returned to Baidoa after attending the latest National Consultative Council (NCC) meeting in Mogadishu.

His return followed reports of a dispute with President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who had reportedly urged Laftagareen to align with his newly rebranded political movement, the Justice and Solidarity Party (formerly known as the Union for Peace and Democracy).

Confusion remains around the rebranding and internal dynamics of the party.

A counter-response

Sources close to Laftagareen say he was frustrated that some of his political rivals had already joined the federal president’s camp.

His abrupt return to Baidoa appears to have triggered a counter-response from a group of Rahaweyn politicians now organizing against his leadership from Mogadishu.

Among the outspoken critics is Mohamed Abdi Hamid, who claims to lead the Democratic Party for Change, a Mogadishu-based opposition movement.

He dismissed the South West government’s allegations as an attempt to silence dissent.

“We call on the South West authorities to retract Sunday’s statement, which seeks to suppress legitimate political opposition to Laftagareen’s administration,” Hamid said.

The opposition group is reportedly linked to a former political figure from Baidoa who is now based in Mogadishu.

Minister Bilal urged the South West public to remain alert and to report any suspicious activities to security forces, warning that any threats to the administration’s stability will be dealt with firmly.

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This meeting was initially announced by president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.

A brief statement published on the official Facebook page of the Office of the Prime Minister of Somalia announced the postponement, citing internal consultations among national leaders as the reason for the delay.

“The National Consultative Council (NCC) meeting, which was scheduled to officially begin in Mogadishu tomorrow, has been rescheduled to Monday, May 5, 2025, following consultations among the country’s leaders,” the statement read.

According to the statement, the postponement aims to allow more time for further dialogue on key issues to ensure unified outcomes that serve the interests of the Somali people and nation.

Some federal government sources told Kaab TV that the meeting was delayed partly due to pressure from the Puntland State House and Jubbaland, who insisted that the talks be relocated to Garowe — a proposal strongly opposed by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.

International partners, who recently met with President Hassan Sheikh, have reportedly urged him to compromise for the sake of national unity, as the NCC summit has not convened since October 2024.

The last NCC meeting was held in October 2024, but a political dispute disrupted the session, leading President Ahmed Madobe of Jubbaland to withdraw and abruptly depart from Mogadishu.

The ongoing tensions between President Hassan Sheikh and federal member states have overshadowed preparations for the meeting and negatively impacted joint military operations against Al-Shabaab.

The growing political fragmentation continues to hinder Somalia’s path toward peace and reconciliation.

It remains unclear whether the rescheduled meeting will indeed take place on May 5, as previous attempts have also been postponed multiple times.

Meanwhile, President Hassan Sheikh’s administration has only a year left in office, yet the type of election the country will hold has not been agreed upon.

Despite this, the federal government is moving ahead with its controversial unilateral electoral process without the approval of regional states and other political stakeholders.

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