Tight security measures in Ninewa as new local council meets

NINEWA / IraqiNews.com: Tight security measures were in place around the provincial council building in Ninewa as the new lineup will convene the first session on Sunday, a local information official said. “The situation is more like a curfew, particularly in the area surrounding the building, as vehicles and pedestrians were denied access to the area,” the source told IraqiNews.com news agency. The Ninewa provincial council is meeting today (April 12) for the first time after the local elections. The session is expected to witness the election of a governor, deputy governor and local council chief. The final results of the Ninewa provincial council elections, held on January 31, 2009, saw al-Hadbaa list winning 19 seats, followed by the Ninewa Fraternity list with 12 seats and the Sunni Iraqi Islamic Party (IIP) of Vice President Tareq al-Hashemi three seats as well as one seat for each of the Christians, the Shabaks and Yazidis. AmR (P) 1