By Libya Herald staff.
Tripoli, 1 September 2015:
The House of Representatives (HoR) has selected 12 nominees for the posts of prime minister . . .[restrict]and one of the two deputy prime ministers in the proposed government of national unity. The choice of prime minister and his two deputies will, however, be taken by delegates to the UN-brokered Libya Dialogue process.
Of the twelve names, there are four each from Libya’s historic provinces – Tripolitania, Cyrenaica and Fezzan. HoR members from each of the three provinces chose their candidates separately.
They are:
Cyrenaica
- Abubakr Buera, high profile HoR member from Benghazi, very strongly federalist. He chaired the first session of the HoR, was promoted by some members as HoR president in place of Ageela Saleh Gwaider.
- Fathi Al-Majbri, Education Minister in Abdullah Al Thinni’s government; also from Benghazi, although originally from Jalu.
- Mohamed Al-Minifi, ambassador to Jordan during Qaddafi period who came out in support of the revolution at the beginning. Became the Transitional National Council’s representative in Amman. From Benghazi.
- Jadallah Azuz Al-Talhi, a former Qaddafi-era politician. He was General Secretary of the People’s Committee in Libya (Prime Minister) for two terms, 2 March 1979 to 16 February 1984 and then from September 1986 to 1 March 1987. He then became Libyan foreign minister, until 1990. He then was appointed minister for strategic industries at the beginning of the 2000s. From January 2008 – December 2009, he was Libya’s UN ambassador. In his late 70s, he is said to be in ill health. Educated in Belgium, he has translated books from French into Arabic. It is reported that his selection was made without asking him.
Tripolitania
- Otman Basir, a professor of electrical and computer engineering at Canada’s University of Waterloo. He is said to have strong backing among some HoR members beyond Tripolitania. From Qasr Ben Gashir in Tripoli.
- Dow Budawia, a prominent member of the Warshefana tribe, former deputy Secretary General of the National Forcees Alliance and seen as being supported by Mahmoud Jibril. He is said to been a revolutionary committee member during the Qaddafi era.
- Aref Nayed, Libyan ambassador to the UAE who played a significant role in the 2011 revolution, ensuring international recognition for the National Transitional Council and that there was fuel, food and funding for the areas that rose up against the Qaddafi regime. A member of the Warfalla tribe. Brought up in Tripoli.
- Abdulsalam Abdaljalil, from Sirte and a member of Khalifa Hafter’s tribe. His name shot into the discussions almost from nowhere. He obtained seven votes from Cyrenaica HoR members.
Fezzan
- Abdulrahman Shalgam. He was foreign minister under Qaddafi from 2000 to 2009. He then became Libyan ambassador to the UN, coming out in support of the revolution on 25 February. He was then reappointed Libyan ambassador to the UN by the NTC, resigning in 2013. From Ubari, also thought to be not in good health.
- Mustafa Al-Huni was deputy chairman of the NTC, with responsibility for economy, finance and oil.
- Nabil Al-Ghadamsi. A young local activist whose name was circulating for some while among Fezzani HoR members.
- Mohamed Ibaid. Another southern activist. Currently believed to be operating in Cairo with pro-Dignity media.
Although some of the names were expected, most notably Aref Nayed, and Abdulrahman Shalgam as well as Otman Basir, Abubakr Baera, Fathi Al-Majbri and Mohamed Al-Minifi, others are relatively unknown and seen as having no chance.
“The knives will be out for all of them now,” said one prominent Libyan political activist.
The decision to select 12 names has also created something of a row among some HoR members. It had earlier decided to choose just two names to send to UN Special Envoy Bernardino Leon for the post of prime minister and one of the deputy premiers, the other deputy supposedly coming from the continuing General National Congress.
Benghazi HoR member Younis Fanoush has condemned the change in the selection system, claiming that it had been done to suit Leon who had opposed just two names being offered. [/restrict]
