Ex-MP Ahaja Wins Tawi-Tawi 4th District Seat, Defeating Relative

MANILA, Philippines – Former Bangsamoro Transition Authority parliament member Nur-Mahadil Ahaja won the Tawi-Tawi 4th District race in the first-ever Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) parliamentary elections on Monday, September 14. Ahaja was the bet of the Bangsamoro Federalist Party (BFP), and obtained 19,174 or 36.2% of the votes, according to Tawi-Tawi’s total certificates of canvass from the Commission on Elections’ website. He defeated three other candidates in the 4th District race, including his own relative, independent candidate and current Tawi-Tawi provincial board member Michail Ahaja. The losing Ahaja, who also used to be Tawi-Tawi vice governor and vice mayor of Sitangkai, placed second with 16,796 or 31.71 % of the votes. Hot on their heels was third-placer Sanya Jamalul, daughter of the current Turtle Islands mayor and vice mayor. She ran as an independent candidate and got 16,044 or 30.29% of the votes. The candidate of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front’s United Bangsamoro Justice Party was Mapun native Hamdan Musa Kasim. He ranked last with 946 or 1.79% of the votes. Like other winning candidates in the BARMM polls, Ahaja will serve a special five-year transition term from October 30, 2026, to June 30, 2031. He will be one of the 32 district representatives making up 40% of the 80-seat Bangsamoro Parliament. – Rappler.com