Former Wajir Governor Ahmed Abdullahi’s bid to recapture the seat has received a major boost after one of his challengers Mohamud Abdikadir Abdille stepped down in his favour.

Abdille, a US-based IT specialist who had declared interest in the seat last year, backed down and declared that he will support Abdullahi.

“For the sake of the Mantaan community and unity, I will shelve my ambitions as a gubernatorial candidate and fully unconditionally support my brother Ahmed Abdullahi. I urge all of you to support, elect and campaign for his success. In 2027 I need your support wholeheartedly,” Abdille, declared on Sunday in a ceremony organised by the Mantaan Council of Elders.

Abdille observed that he opted out of the race to make it easy for their Mantaan community to unite behind one candidate.

“At the end of the day, only one of us from Wajir West could give it (gubernatorial bid) a shot. After consulting my friends and different members of the community, I decided to help my brother Ahmed Abdullahi increase his chances of getting the seat so that he has a second opportunity to propel Wajir county to greater heights just as he did in his first term (2013-2017),” said Abdikadir.

He said the people of Wajir needed leaders who can sacrifice their personal interests and aspirations for the greater good.

He rallied the community to support the ex-county chief to recapture the seat which he lost in 2017 to Mohamud Abdi, who is from the Fai sub-clan of the Degodia clan.

Mantaan is one of the sub-clans from the Degodia clan, who promised to vote for Abdullahi, who is seeking to run in an ODM ticket in the August 9 General Election.

The county is inhabited by three major clans: Degodia, Ogaden, and the Ajuran.