Hargeisa (WDN) — Five lawmakers from the North Eastern administration have arrived in Hargeisa, where they were formally welcomed by Somaliland officials after announcing their defection from the administration they previously represented. Speaking to local media, several of the lawmakers accused Somalia’s Federal Government of failing to genuinely support or recognize the interests of their communities. The defections have drawn considerable political attention, as they come amid heightened tensions over Somalia’s constitutional future, federal relations, and competing political visions between Mogadishu and Somaliland. Adding to the political significance of the event, Fahiima Quuje, who participated in welcoming the lawmakers, suggested that the latest defections are unlikely to be the last. “This will not be the final reception,” she said, expressing confidence that more political figures would follow the same path in the coming months.