Garowe (SD) – Puntland Vice President Ahmed Elmi Osman Ahmed Karash, in an exclusive interview with the BBC this morning, addressed the dispute between him and President Deni and said it was based on constitutional powers.

The vice president, said the conflict with the president is due to lack of respect for the consultation and as the constitution dictates, the two officials are to consult with each other on all of the government’s work.

Mr. Ahmed Karash, who was referencing the provisions of the Puntland Constitution, pointed out that he should be consulted with when the president is appointing officials or are to be removed from office, adding that didn’t happen.

He said the dispute is been going on for a year and a half, but it escalated after President Deni appointed a boy from his side as chief of the presidential guard army, while sacking a deputy chief of staff from his side.

Also, he said the presidential palace seemed to him unsafe, although he did not elaborate on his suspicions.

When asked if he was consulted with on the latest Deni nominees? He said he and Deni do not even say hello to each other, let alone to be consulted with and that their dispute is escalating more.

Vice- President Ahmed Karash hails from Sool, a region that’s predominantly is under Somaliland Jurisdiction. Prior to his election to his current position he was the Vice-president of the failed Khatumo state.