ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Kirkuk Governor Mohammed Samaan Agha has issued a decree withdrawing two key powers from his deputy, in a move that comes just days after he assumed office following months of political negotiations.
The decision reassigns the property and citizen affairs department and the security permits department to the governor’s office. Both departments had previously been under the authority of the deputy governor and will now report directly to the new governor, effective immediately.
According to the official document obtained by Rudaw, dated April 23, the order was circulated to several government entities, including the office of the deputy governor. Under Iraq’s Provincial Council Law, governors have the authority to delegate or retract administrative powers from their deputies and assistants.
Two officials within the Kirkuk local government told Rudaw on the condition of anonymity on Sunday that the departments had been managed by the deputy governor prior to Samaan Agha taking office on April 16. The new governor, leader of the Iraqi Turkmen Front, replaced former Kurdish governor Rebwar Taha, who now serves as deputy governor.
The move appears to contrast with Samaan Agha’s earlier statements emphasizing inclusive governance. Following his election, he said, “No decision will be made in Kirkuk without consultation with deputies and assistants,” adding, “We will not work for just one ethnicity or party.”
Addressing residents of the multi-ethnic city of Kirkuk in multiple languages, he also stressed unity within the province’s leadership, stating: “Mr. Rebwar Taha, Mr. Ibrahim Temim, and I - along with the entire administration of Kirkuk - are all Kirkukis. There is no difference between us. Together, we will serve Kirkuk.”
Samaan Agha’s appointment marked the first Turkmen governor of Kirkuk in over a century. His election followed prolonged political deadlock within the 16-seat provincial council, where competing factions struggled to form a local government.
The process faced strong opposition from the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), which rejected the agreements leading to the vote. KDP officials criticized what they described as arrangements made outside the will of voters, with KDP Central Committee member Rebar Ahmed stating last week, “Any agreement outside the legitimacy and will of the Kirkuk voter is unacceptable to the KDP.”
Hastyar Qadir contributed to this article from Erbil, Kurdistan Region.
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