By Sami Zaptia.
Tripoli, 1 June 2013:
GNC member Ahmed Langhi revealed yesterday . . .[restrict]that three nominees for the post of head of the GNC have emerged.
The post of head of the GNC was vacated by the resignation of Mohamed Magarief last Tuesday.
It is believed that Magarief took this preemptive step of resigning in anticipation of being forced out of the position by the newly enacted Political Isolation Law.
Langhi was reported on Libya FM radio as saying that the Independent Grouping within the GNC had nominated its member Salem Abujnah for the post.
He also revealed that the Martyrs Wafa (Loyalty to the Martyrs) Grouping had made two nominations: Nuri Abusahmain and Abdulwahab Al-Gaied
This does not preclude other blocks and parties from putting forward other nominees.
It is not clear what the position of the two largest parties, as opposed to independents, in the GNC, Mahmoud Jibril’s “moderate” National Forces Alliance and the “Islamist” Justice and Development parties are towards these three nominees.
It is also still not clear when the election of the new GNC head would take place. It is assumed that once a consensus on the number and names of nominees is reached, an election would take place.
Meanwhile, GNC official spokesperson Omar Hamaidan had confirmed last Tuesday that Magarief’s former First Deputy Juma Attaiga, would now become head of the GNC, failing that the Second Deputy Head of the GNC Salah Makhzoum or the oldest member of the GNC – until elections of a new head took place. [/restrict]