Iraq’s Oil Minister, Adel Abdul-Mahdi announced Thursday that he has suspended his participation in the country’s cabinet meetings.
The minister’s move comes after Prime Minister, Haider Al-Abadi announced a plan to replace cabinet ministers with technocrats who are not affiliated with political parties as part of a larger plan to tackle systemic corruption.
Abdul-Mahdi is a leader of the Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council party led by Ammar al-Hakim.
Abdul-Mahdi ordered his deputy Fayyad Hasan Nemaa to carry out his functions and to manage the ministry’s affairs in cooperation with the other officials.
MP Yasser Mohammed of the Supreme Council bloc told Anadolu news agency that minister Adel Abdul Mahdi has submitted his resignation to Abadi in the past, but did not get an answer, prompting him to demand an indefinite leave.