In the wake of a scandal that led to the sudden resignation of Basra’s governor, Taha al-Tamimi has emerged as the top candidate to lead Iraq’s oil capital. Basra’s then-governor, Majid al-Nasrawi (L), walks with Iraqi President Fuad Masum in Basra on Feb. 23, 2015. (ESSAM AL-SUDANI/Reuters) BASRA – Days after the sudden resignation of Basra Gov. Majid al-Nasrawi, a former ExxonMobil advisor has emerged as the top candidate to replace him as the leader of Iraq’s oil capital. Taha al-Timimi, who managed government relations for Exxon’s Iraq operations from 2010 to 2014, has won the endorsement of Oil Minister Jabbar al-Luiebi and his powerful political party, the newly formed Hikma movement (Arabic for “Wisdom”). This content is for registered users. Please login to continue. If you are not a registered user, you may purchase a subscription or sign up for a free trial .