Former MP Firsat Sofi elected first new Erbil governor in 15 years

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — Former Kurdistan Region MP Firsat Sofi was on Thursday elected the 41st governor of Erbil province on the Kurdistan Democratic Party list.

Sofi, 41, was elected governor after winning 27 out of a possible 28 Erbil Provincial Council votes. 

"Without making political distinctions, we will serve the beloved people of Erbil province," he said after his election.

"In my post, I will have full coordination of, and respect for, the legal position of the Erbil Provincial Council, and we will seriously work together," he added.

Kanaan Khailani, head of the council’s KDP bloc, said Sofi will officially assume the post after President of the Kurdistan Region Nechirvan Barzani confirms his appointment by decree on Sunday.

Choman native Sofi holds a PhD in Public Law, and is an instructor at Erbil Polytechnic University. He was member of the team that redrafted the Kurdistan Parliament constitution in 2015, and a member of the KDP negotiating team for the recent formation of ninth cabinet, headed by Masrour Barzani.

In his speech, Sofi also thanked former governor Nawzad Hadi for his 15 years of service in the role.

Hadi announced his resignation on Tuesday, a day after the Erbil Provincial Council held a farewell ceremony for him.

In his farewell press conference, Hadi thanked Erbil’s diverse population for supporting him since his ascension to the post after deadly attacks on the city in 2004, when twin suicide attacks on the KDP and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) offices in Erbil left more than a hundred people dead, including then Erbil Governor Akrem Muntek.

“I thank the people of Erbil city, people from the districts, sub districts and villages of Erbil province, and all its communities, including Kurds, Christians, Turkmen and Arabs, for giving me the confidence to assume the post of governor following the February 1 incidents,” Hadi said.