Baidoa, Somalia — The newly elected leader of Somalia's South West State, Sheikh Aden Mohamed Nur, widely known as Aden Madobe, formally assumed office on Thursday following a handover ceremony held at the presidential palace in Baidoa.
Madobe took over the administration from Jibril Abdirashid Haji Abdi, who had been serving as the interim head of the regional state in recent months.
The ceremony was attended by officials from Somalia's federal government and the South West State administration, as well as representatives of state institutions, politicians, traditional elders and other invited guests.
During the event, Jibril handed over official documents and responsibilities of the office to the incoming leader, congratulating Lafta-Gareen on his election and expressing hope that he would carry out his duties effectively.
In his remarks, Sheikh Aden Madobe thanked the outgoing interim leader for his efforts during the transitional period and pledged to continue initiatives aimed at strengthening peace, promoting development and advancing state-building efforts in South West State.
The formal transfer of power came a day after Madobe was sworn in following his victory in the regional leadership election held in Baidoa. His election as leader of Somalia's key federal member states comes at a time when the country is facing an electoral crisis.
