Governor Rebwar Taha vows to stay in Kirkuk after leading election win

KIRKUK — Patriotic Union of Kurdistan parliamentary candidate and Kirkuk Governor Rebwar Taha said Thursday he will remain in the governorate and not take up a seat in Baghdad, calling his party’s performance in the latest parliamentary elections “a great success.”

In a press conference, Taha said the PUK increased its vote total in Kirkuk by 100,000 compared with the 2021 parliamentary elections and by 30,000 compared with the most recent governorate council vote. “The people’s votes place a greater responsibility on us,” he said. “That is why I announce from here that I will not go to Baghdad in any way. My duty was to make the PUK list the first list in Kirkuk together with my colleagues, and we did that with satisfaction.”

According to preliminary results from the Independent High Electoral Commission, Taha received about 96,000 votes in Kirkuk — the highest total for any candidate nationwide. “I will stay in Kirkuk, and this time I will serve all residents of the governorate in a new way; very different from a year ago, because many people have entrusted the PUK list with their confidence,” he said.

Taha also called on all winning candidates from other parties in Kirkuk to coordinate with the local administration and with Baghdad to secure funding for key development projects.

The commission’s preliminary tally shows the PUK winning four seats in Kirkuk, followed by the Kurdistan Democratic Party with one, Taqadum with three, the Turkmen Front with two, Azm with one, and the Arab Alliance with one.

Taha became governor of Kirkuk on Aug. 13, 2024, after receiving a presidential decree from President Abdul Latif Jamal Rashid at Baghdad’s Salam Palace. He took office during a period of tensions and protests following a disputed provincial council session held in Baghdad that was boycotted by the KDP, the Arab Alliance, and the Turkmen Front.