ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - Kirkuk Governor Rebwar Taha on Thursday announced that he will not be going to the federal parliament despite gaining more votes than any candidate in Iraq, assuring the people of his province that he will continue to serve them.

Taha, who was heading the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) list in Kirkuk, received 96,000 votes - more votes than any candidate in Iraq including Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, whose alliance came number one in the country.

During a presser, Taha said he wanted to clarify to all the people who “are worried”.

“I assure them that I am not going to Baghdad in any way. I will be in Kirkuk and I will serve all the people of Kirkuk and we will serve in a new way that is very different from a year ago,” Taha said.

“It became apparent that serving the people of Kirkuk is a reason for people to go towards the polling box,” he added.

Kirkuk falls under Article 140 of the Iraqi constitution, which mandates a process to outline a clear and definitive boundary in the disputed areas by introducing a referendum to determine the will of the residents living on the lands. The implementation of the article has been continuously delayed by the successive Iraqi federal government.

On October 16, 2017, the Kurds lost control over Kirkuk and other disputed territories after a military offensive by the Iraqi government was conducted in the province, bringing it under the rule of Baghdad. The Kurdish authorities have continuously pledged the eventual return of the lost territory.

Taha was elected the governor of Kirkuk in a meeting on August 10, 2024 that was attended by five PUK members, three Arabs, and a Christian quota representative. The decision came months after the country held provincial council elections in 2023. 

The appointment of PUK's Taha meant the return of the position to Kurds for the first time since 2017.

“I ask of the other Kurdish parties, to come and support the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, to take part in the service we have started in Kirkuk, as a result they will not suffer losses,” Taha said.

Iraq held general parliamentary elections on Tuesday, the sixth since the 2003 US-led invasion, with an unexpectedly high turnout rate of 56.11 percent.