Internal rift emerges over Presidential Council’s public voice

Two deputy heads of the Presidential Council, Mossa Al-Koni and Abdullah Al-Lafi, have stated that remarks by Ziyad Daghim, an adviser on legislative and electoral affairs, do not represent the council’s official position.

Al-Koni and Al-Lafi released a joint statement concerning media reports that portrayed Daghim’s comments as reflecting the Presidential Council’s stance. The deputies noted that Daghim serves as a personal adviser to Mohammed Al-Menfi and expresses either his own views or those of his appointing authority.

The statement observed that Daghim has adopted a media role suggesting he speaks for the council, notwithstanding the presence of an official spokesperson responsible for public communications. The deputies clarified that the council maintains established procedures for issuing official statements.

According to Al-Koni and Al-Lafi, Daghim’s remarks constitute personal opinions unless formally endorsed and presented to council members for official consideration. They requested that interested parties refrain from attributing individual statements to the Presidential Council to maintain proper institutional representation.

The deputies concluded by affirming their commitment to council unity and established procedures for public communications, whilst emphasising the importance of preserving the body’s institutional role and respecting internal processes.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​