65 Iraqi MPs want defense minister sacked

By Ali Jawwad

BAGHDAD

Sixty-five Iraqi lawmakers on Tuesday called for sacking Defense Minister Khaled al-Obeidi.

“A total of 65 MPs from different political blocs have signed a petition for sacking al-Obeidi,” MP Hanen Qado told Anadolu Agency.

The move came one day after around 200 MPs said they were unconvinced with the minister’s answers during a parliamentary inquiry into corruption allegations.

Qado expected the defense minister to be fired next week.

“The majority of lawmakers want to expel the defense minister,” he said.

Al-Obeidi had been embroiled in a row after accusing the parliament speaker and a number of lawmakers allegedly requesting him to pay USD 2 million in bribes in return for not questioning him into corruption allegation.

Iraq ranks 161st out of 168 countries on Transparency International’s "corruption perceptions index".