Northern MPs distrusting Sharmarkee pressed Osman to seek reelection.
Evidence
From 9 to 10:15 I had … in the office the Hon. Haji Yusuf Sheikh Osman, prean- nounced to me by Osman Ahmed Roble. I had a half hour of time, but I could not disengage myself before an hour and a quarter: he and at least another 18 deputies from the North want me to remain as president of the Republic for another six years, because they do not trust Abdirashid [Sharmarkee] and they don’t see anyone else “in the field” who could adequately substitute for me. There is, however, according to him, Mohamed Haji Ibrahim Egal, to whom Abdirashid and his supporters had promised the post of prime minister if Abdirashid was elected president, and thus it had been decided to put Egal and Abdirazak [Hussen] in contact, etc., etc. I responded, as usual, that I do not desire reelection, adding my motives. I said that there are men besides me and Abdirashid that could be found worthy, but that, in any case, it is not my character to make a bargain on the question, even if I were enthusiastic about getting reelected, and we should not speak now of this, since I will return to the position only if it is imposed on me by those who believe that the country still has need of me. — Abdi Ismail Samatar, Africa’s First Democrats, 933
Categorization
Category: Factual Claims