MOGADISHU — The Independent National Electoral and Boundaries Commission (INEBC) on Sunday officially announced the list of candidates cleared to contest the presidency of Somalia’s South West State.

According to the commission, the three candidates vying for the regional presidency are Sheikh Adan Mohamed Nur, former South West President Sharif Hassan Sheikh Adan, and Abdiaziz Mohamed Osman.

The announcement marks a significant step in the ongoing electoral process in South West State, amid heightened political attention surrounding the conduct and management of the vote.

Meanwhile, several political figures have raised concerns over the direct involvement of the federal electoral commission in administering the South West election process. Critics argue that regional parliamentary electoral committees had traditionally played a central role in overseeing presidential elections within the state.

The development underscores continuing political sensitivities over electoral governance and the relationship between Somalia’s federal institutions and federal member states.