Maliki vows to remain in post until court decision

Iraq's incumbent Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki Wednesday said his government will not quit until the federal court make its final decision over who will form the next government.

"I confirm that we will go on in the government and will not stop and would not be replaced unless a federal court decision is issued," Xinhua quoted Maliki as saying during a televised weekly speech.

"We wish that everyone would abide by this legal and constitutional context," Maliki said.

He reiterated his previous remarks that the nomination of Haider al-Abadi to replace him to form the next government was a "violation" of the country's constitution and had "no value".

He also hailed what he named "popular rejection" to the constitution violation saying that "those who expressed their rejection will continue, and it is necessary to continue rejection so that no one would underestimate the will of the people".

Maliki added that he has ordered the security forces not to intervene in the political crisis over who will form the next government and to continue carrying out security duties to protect the country.

On Monday, Iraqi President Fuad Masoum accepted the nomination of Haider al-Abadi as prime minister-designate, a significant milestone for the country's troubled political process, but the nomination angered incumbent Maliki who slammed the choice as a "violation of the constitution" and threatened to sue his political opponents.

Maliki has been under growing pressure to give up his bid for a third term, as the National Alliance, a Shia bloc, which includes Maliki's State of the Law party, declared that the next prime minister must be accepted by other political partners of the Kurds and Sunnis.