09 May 2018•Update: 09 May 2018
By Amir al-Saadi
BAGHDAD
Prominent Iraqi Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr on Wednesday announced his intention to nominate Ali Dawai, governor of Iraq’s southeastern Maysan province, for the premiership if his coalition performs well in upcoming polls.
Currently serving his second consecutive term as Maysan governor, Dawai is known for his modesty and frequent tours of the province.
On Tuesday, al-Sadr urged supporters to vote in Saturday’s parliamentary polls with a view to removing what he described as “corrupt officials” from power.
Al-Sadr supports the eclectic Sairon coalition, which includes Iraq’s Al-Istiqama Party and several leftist parties, including the Iraqi Communist Party.
Known for its vocal stance against government corruption, the Sadrist movement currently holds 34 seats in Iraq’s 328-member parliament.
Iraq is set to hold parliamentary polls this Saturday, in which more than 7,000 candidates from a host of parties will vie for seats in the national assembly.
Saturday’s vote will be Iraq’s first parliamentary race since the Daesh terrorist group was defeated last year after overrunning much of the country in mid-2014.
Some 24 million Iraqis will be eligible to cast ballots in the election.
