باقان أموم يؤكد بيان المتحدث الرسمي للحركة: ترشيح عرمان للرئاسة ليس موضوعاً للمساومة

The ruling National Congress party (NCP) had reacted with concern to the nomination of SPLM deputy SG Yasir Arman as the party’s runner against their incumbent leader, President Omer Hassan Al-Bashir. The NCP leadership called on the SPLM to consider withdrawing its official nominee after making the move and backing the candidacy of Salva Kiir for South Sudan’s presidency.

The NCP also suggested that they would accept further dialogue on disputed census results to increase parliamentary seats allocated to the SPLM in the national Assembly to 30%.

But Pagan Amum, the Secretary General of the SPLM today said that his party has no political arrangements or any intention to compromise with the NCP)on the selection of their candidates for all positions including for the presidential chair.

SPLM has already selected its candidates for various positions and submitted their applications to the National Election Commission (NEC) office.

“We do not see reasons to withdraw our selected candidates,” he added.

He further affirmed SPLM’s commitment and determination to changing the face of war-ravaged country through selection of shining candidates to capture central power.

“We in the SPLM fully support comrade Yasir Arman’s nomination for Presidency of the republic,” he said.

The official was also quick to accuse the NCP of having been behind the nomination of SPLM-DC Chairman Lam Akol for the presidency of the Government of Southern Sudan (GOSS).

“They [NCP] are playing double cards,” said the party official. “They are busy supporting the candidacy of Lam while coming out to fool the public that they are supporting candidacy of comrade Salva Kiir for Southern Sudan Presidency. This is double standard."

“They are trying here and there through proposition of several candidates to contest against SPLM in the South but chances of their success would be next to impossibility,” he added.

Last week one observer with close links to SPLM told Sudan Tribune that he finds it “bewildering” that neither Salva Kiir nor his deputy Riek Machar has made any statements in support of Arman in face of NCP pressure.

“This clearly indicates that they may be open to a compromise with the NCP on the issue of presidential elections. There are millions of votes at stake here and the SPLM leadership may want to use this as leverage against the NCP” the observer who asked not to be named said.

“The separatist faction the SPLM will surely back going into this direction,” he added.

(ST)