Somali Football Federation's long time secretary General Abdi Qani Said Arab has been elected as the new president of the SFF during the 6th election congress held here in the capital Mogadishu on Sunday 31st of August 2014.

Mr. Arab and the former SFF president were competing in the presidential election of the country’s football governing body which was observed by top profile ministry of sport and Somali National Olympic committee officials.

As the first round of the election ended and the second round was about to begin, the former President Ali Said Guled Roble told the congress that he withdrew from his election adding he will accept the outcome of the election.

However, the entire 28 stakeholders unanimously voted in favour of Mr. Abdiqani Said Arab who will lead the Somali Football federation for the next four years, as announced by the electoral committee chairman Ibrahim Hussein Ali (Roombe)

The congress then started voting for three candidates who were competing for two vice presidential posts and as announced by the electoral committee Ali Abdi Mohamed collected 28 votes, while Abdullahi Sheik Nur Ahmed accumulated 23 votes and Abdullahi Abow Hussein who got only 4 votes was defeated.

Executive committee members

Seven candidates competed for the 6 executive committee posts and they were elected as follows.

Yahye Mohamed Abokar 28 votes, Abdirashid Hussein Addow 25 votes, Osman Jama Dira’ 24 votes, Mustaf Elmi Afrah 23 votes, Hassan Moalim Yusuf 22 votes, and Hiirey Ahmed Roble 19 votes, while Sharif Mohamed Abokar was defeated with only 7 votes as announced by the electoral committee.

Electoral committee chairman Ibrahim Hussein Ali told the media that the election was conducted in accordance with the Somali FA Status and was free and fair exercise.

"The election was done in accordance with the SFF Status and all members with voting rights have attended” he said declaring there were no governmental interferances.

Congratulations from Somali NOC and the ministry of sport

The deputy minister for youth and sports Osman Mohamed Abdi and Somali National Olympic committee president Abdullahi Ahmed Tarabi who were observing the election lauded for the result and promised greater cooperation with the new Somali FA president Abdi Qani Said Arab and his executive committee members.

Somali deputy minister for youth and sports Osman Mohamed Abdi told the congress that his ministry was fully aware of the process for the past several months and they had been receiving all updates about the election process day by day.

"On behalf of the federal government of Somalia I would like to congratulate the new Somali FA president and his executive committee members, we are welcoming and respecting the results from the election which was done in a free and fair process” the deputy minister said pledging to develop close cooperation with the new president whom he said has came through a democratic exercise.

For his part the president of Somali National Olympic committee Abdullahi Ahmed Tarabi lauded for the election saying that the Somali NOC accepted the result.

"What I have witnessed here was a democratic step forward and on behalf of Somali NOC I remain to thank the SFF stakeholders for such greater move forward” the president of Somali National Olympic committee Abdullahi Ahmed Tarabi told the congress.

Somali Football Federation Media Department

Email:somalifootballmedia@gmail.com