Hargeisa (SD) – Lawmaker Abibakar Said Ali Gabobe, a member of the Kulmiye party from Awdal region, alleged that the Opposition coalition offered him $100,000 to vote for the opposition’s speaker of parliament.

The lawmaker claimed he rejected the opposition’s bribe in supporting the coalition’s candidate for the speaker’s position.

“We hear the opposition saying MP’s are being bought but I was surprised that I was offered money to vote for the opposition. They offered me $ 100,000 and I am not lying,” he said.

Adding “It has come as a shock to me and I am not on sale. I am telling my people in the Awdal region that we are their elected parliamentarians, and I promise to stand for what we have been elected for,” he added.

It is the first time a member of the ruling party Kulmiye claimed that the opposition parties have offered him money, however, the opposition have previously accused the government of bribing their newly elected lawmakers.

The president of Somaliland has not yet convened the first session of the newly elected parliament due to the fact that his party does not have a majority to elect the speaker of the house of representatives.