ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Nineveh Provincial Council on Wednesday ousted its head Ahmed al-Hasud, accusing him of forging his educational credentials and committing several legal violations. Hasud rejected the decision, questioning the validity of the council’s procedures.
Hasud was scheduled to be questioned by the Nineveh Provincial Council on Wednesday but did not attend the questioning session. Following his absence, 16 out of the council’s 29 members voted to dismiss him.
Lawmaker Sherwan Dubardani, who represents Nineveh in the Iraqi parliament, told Rudaw on Wednesday that Hasud’s removal was “due to his forged degree and several legal violations he committed.”
The dental medicine degree Hasud obtained from Ukraine is not recognized in Iraq, meaning his officially recognized education level does not exceed the sixth grade of preparatory school, Dubardani explained. He added that this legally disqualifies Hasud from leading the council.
Dubardani further noted that the Nineveh provincial council will begin, starting next week, correcting the illegal decisions made under Hasud, including the dismissal of Nineveh deputy governor, Omar al-Mawla, who is affiliated with the Christian Babylon Movement. The movement and its armed wing are linked to the pro-Iran Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF).
Meanwhile, Hasud is linked to the National Contract Alliance, which is notably affiliated with Falih al-Fayyadh, the head of the PMF.
Later on Wednesday, the National Contract Alliance issued a statement on behalf of Hasud, accusing the Nineveh council of violating provincial law and the council’s rules of procedure. He argued that he should have received the questions for Wednesday’s session seven days in advance, but only received them three days prior. He criticized the measures taken for his removal as violating provincial law.
Iraq held its long-overdue provincial elections in December across 15 provinces, excluding the Kurdistan Region. Nineveh, a multi-ethnic province and home to the Yazidi community, saw a 52 percent voter turnout.
The Nineveh Provincial Council is divided into two main blocs: the Nineveh People Union Alliance, which includes the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) and Shiite parties affiliated with the PMF, and the United Nineveh Coalition, composed of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and Sunni parties.
Tensions between the two blocs have persisted, particularly over a decision to replace several mayors and district mayors during a July 2 council meeting, which the United Nineveh Coalition boycotted.
