Sulu Governor Abdusakur Tan to challenge Murad in BARMM
CAGAYAN DE ORO, Philippines – Sulu Governor Abdusakur Tan will challenge the leadership of Chief Minister Ahod “Al-Hajj Murad” Balawag Ebrahim in the 80-member Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) in 2025.
Tan made his announcement to run as party representative and challenge the current BARMM leadership during a big political rally in Maimbung town in Sulu province Saturday, May 18.
Four political parties attended the rally and formed the Bangsamoro Grand Coalition (BGC).
The political parties are Serbisyong Inklusibo-Alyansa Progresibong Party (SIAP) led by Lanao del Sur Governor Mamintal Adiong Jr., Al-Ittihad-UKB founded by Secretary Suharto Mangudadatu, Tan’s Salam Party, and Bangsamoro People’s Party led by Basilan Representative Mujiv Hataman.
Bangsamoro Grand Coalition spokesperson Amir Mawalli said the four parties had endorsed Tan’s candidacy for the BARMM parliament in 2025.
“Governor Tan will run for member of the BARRM parliament under the banner of Bangsamoro Grand Coalition. He will not run for governor of Sulu anymore,” Mawalli said.
If he wins in the parliament elections, Mawalli said Tan will have to get the majority votes in the 80-member BARMM parliament.
The BARMM parliament consists of 40 party representatives, 32 district representatives, and eight sectoral representatives. Presently, the parliament is dominated by Ebrahim’s party mates in the United Bangsamoro Justice Party.
Ebrahim, a former leader of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, is the first chief minister of the BARMM parliament, which was formed after the Bangsamoro Organic Law was ratified in January 2019.
SIAP president and Lanao del Sur Vice Governor Mohammad Khalid Raki-in Adiong said Tan was the natural choice for chief minister by the coalition since talks started in January this year.
“Tan is our unanimous candidate and all of us will endorse him 100%,” Adiong said.
In a statement, the BGC said Tan’s record as governor is a testament of good governance, and that through his leadership, the threat of the Abu Sayyaf in Sulu was eliminated. – Rappler.com