Politician withdraws nomination as speaker

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: The head of the Iraqi National Dialogue Council on Saturday said that he will withdraw his nomination for the position of the Parliament’s speaker. “Yesterday (Feb. 6), Osama al-Nujeifi and Maysoun al-Damlouji from the Iraqi National List (INL) announced their withdrawal,” Khalaf al-Alyan told IraqiNews.com news agency. Alyan ruled out the possibility of holding a vote on the Parliament’s speaker today. Mahmoud al-Mashhadani stepped down as Parliament speaker in December 2008 following a heated argument with members of parliamentary committees, during which he allegedly used “offensive” language that prompted many parliamentarians to call for his resignation. SS (P) 1