NINEWA: PROVINCIAL COUNCIL ELECTS ALNUJAIFI AND

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 001033

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/14/2019
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KDEM PMIL IZ
SUBJECT: NINEWA: PROVINCIAL COUNCIL ELECTS ALNUJAIFI AND
ALLIES TO ALL KEY POSTS, TRIGGERING KURDISH WALKOUT

Classified By: Deputy Political Counselor John G. Fox for Reasons 1.4 (
b,d)

This is a Ninewa Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) message.


1. (SBU) Summary. In its first official act, Ninewa,s new
Provincial Council elected Al-Hadba leader Atheel Alnujaifi
as the province,s new governor. Hadba and its political
allies, who control an absolute majority of the seats on the
PC, elected Hadba members to all of key political leadership
positions, a move that triggered a staged walk-out by the
Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP)-controlled Ninewa Fraternity
List (NFL). Later, Kurdish sources told the PRT that the NFL
was only protesting Hadba,s refusal to share power and had
not quit the government. Alnujaifi later addressed the
media, asserting the central government,s authority to
determine Disputed Internal Boundaries (DIBs) and control all
Iraq,s security forces. Alnujaifi also took the opportunity
to publicly label the US as &occupiers8 in Iraq. End
Summary.

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HADBA TAKES ALL NINEWA,S KEY LEADERSHIP POSTS
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2. (SBU) On April 12, the newly elected Ninewa PC met for the
first time to select a governor and other key leadership
positions in the executive and legislative branches. As
expected, Alnujaifi (ref A) was easily elected Governor.
Two other key positions, first Deputy Governor a^Q
"pmPPQBoundaries
Q(DIBS) must be decided in Baghdad, not Mosul. He also said
that all Iraqi security forces must be under control of the
central government and work for the benefit of all the people
of Ninewa. (Note: In this context, &all8 Iraq,s security
forces is understood to mean the Peshmerga stationed in
Ninewa, who are under the control of the Kurdistan Regional
Government (KRG). Alnujaifi used similar rhetoric during the
election campaign repeatedly.) Alnujaifi also referred to
June 30 as a deadline for US withdrawal from Iraq,s cities.

-------------- --------------
U.S. OCCUPATION, CORRUPTION INHIBIT ECOMONIC GROWTH
-------------- --------------


5. (SBU) Alnujaifi also said the previous KDP-dominated
provincial government had come to power on the coattails of
the U.S.-led occupation. He also singled out the U.S. Army
as a hindrance to economic cooperation with the United
States. Finally, he said that corruption must be rooted out
for foreign investment and economic growth to take place.

BAGHDAD 00001033 002 OF 002




6. (C) Bio Notes:

Jabur Mohammad Abdullah al Abed Rabou ) Provincial Council
Chairman: Rabou is a political ally of Sheikh Abdullah. He
is in his 60s and is a businessman in Ninewa, managing a bank
and a cement factory. Rabou is widely respected for his
business acumen and managerial skills.

Dildar Zebari ) Provincial Council Vice Chairman: Zebari is
Kurdish and a former Ba,ath party member and Iraqi Army
officer ) positions he served in until 2003. Many view
Zebari as Hadba,s token Kurd and Alnujaifi,s anti-KDP
attack dog.

Faisal Humayid Ajeel ) First Vice Governor: Ajeel is the
older brother of Sheikh Abdullah. Ajeel is best known for
his trucking business, which he took over from his father.
Ajeel is generally thought to be apolitical. Indeed, Sheikh
Abdullah told us that he had to &twist Ajeel,s arm8 to
convince him to take a leadership position in the province.


Hassan Mahmud Ali ) Second Vice Governor: Ali is the chief
appellate judge in Ninewa, making him the second highest
judicial official in the province. Local Iraqi Police
sources told the PRT that Ali has the reputation of being
tough on terrorists, and is greatly respected by both the
judicial community and the police of the province. (Note:
Ali,s reputation among the police is particularly
impressive, given most Iraqi Police tell us the judges in
Ninewa are corrupt and cowed by Al-Qaida.) The Ministry of
Interior,s legal advisor, Col. Ala,a, told the PRT that
Ali,s brother was assassinated by terrorists in 2007. Ali
is thought to be closely aligned with Alnujaifi. Despite
being named to the provincial executive, Ali will also remain
a judge in the province. At least one source contradicts
this picture, alleging that he is a terrorist sympathizer.


7. (C) Comment: Alnujaifi is a shrewd politician. He will
publicly criticize us but take our help when it is in his
interests. By nationalizing the DIBs issue, as well as the
June 30 question, Alnujaifi is positioning himself to take
credit when it suits him, but distance himself from unpopular
decisions that he can blame on Baghdad or us. We believe we
can work with him in areas of common interest and will seek
to moderate his statements and actions where they are
inconsistent with our interests. PRT also will strongly
counsel Kurdish PC members to return to the Council and
participate in its deliberations as a loyal opposition. End
comment.
BUTENIS