ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - Iraq’s Prime Minister on Wednesday called on all parties who earned seats in Kirkuk’s provincial council to establish an alliance to govern Kirkuk, adding that he will head meetings of the alliance in the meantime.

Mohammed Shia al-Sudani hosted representatives of all the different parties that won seats in the Kirkuk provincial elections in December.

According to a statement from the Iraqi Prime Minister’s office, all sides agreed on “the formation of a Kirkuk administration alliance from all the winning forces in the provincial council … and that the Prime Minister will chair the coalition sessions until the implementation of the constitutional entitlements in forming the local government.”

“The attendees agreed that the interests of the people of Kirkuk be taken into account, that coexistence be preserved, and the bonds of brotherhood and cooperation be strengthened among its people,” the statement added.

Sudani’s meeting with the party representatives came after Kirkuk provincial council earlier in the month failed to meet quorum to elect a new governor for the province, with no single component meeting the required absolute majority in the council to independently elect governor.

Iraq held provincial elections in December, the first of its kind in Kirkuk since 2005.

The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) managed to gain five seats in the ethno-diverse province of Kirkuk. The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) gained two seats, raising the total Kurdish seats to seven out of the provincial council’s 16 seats.

Arab parties gained six seats in the elections and the Turkmen gained two, and with implications that both sides could join forces together, the chances of Kurds electing a governor become lower.

The Kurds lost control over the position following the events of October 16, 2017, where the Iraqi government entered Kirkuk using military force.

Sunni Arabs in the province appointed interim governor Rakan al-Juboori to replace the late Najmadin Karim, who was appointed by the PUK.

Both the KDP and PUK refused to enter the elections in a unified coalition.

However, following a meeting between both parties in early February, both sides agreed to push for a Kurdish governor in Kirkuk and work together.