Sudan: Sovereign Council member challenges legitimacy of his removal
November 5, 2023 (KHARTOUM) – Al-Hadi Idris, a former member of the Sudanese Sovereign Council, has raised doubts about the legality of his removal by the Council’s Chairman, Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, referring to Al-Burhan as the “igniter of war.”
On November 3, the Sovereign Council released a concise statement announcing Idris’s dismissal from the collective leadership body and requested that his peace-signatory group, the Sudan Liberation Movement-Transitional Council, nominate a replacement.
In a statement issued on Sunday, Idris expressed indifference towards the decision, asserting that his appointment was made in accordance with the Juba Peace Agreement of October 2020, which allocated 25% of power to armed movements. He also highlighted that his removal was orchestrated by individuals who lacked the constitutional authority to make such a decision and vowed to persist in his endeavours to end the conflict alongside those advocating for democracy, unity, and stability in Sudan.
Idris stressed that his dismissal constituted a breach of the Juba Agreement, and any such violation threatened to undermine an accord brokered by South Sudan and endorsed by international observers and guarantors. He emphasized that Article 14 of the Constitutional Declaration, concerning the conditions for losing membership in the Sovereign Council, did not include dismissal by decree issued by the Council’s Chairman as one of the stipulated reasons.
Following the coup on October 25, 2021, Al-Burhan detained and removed civilian members of the Sovereign Council and appointed individuals not chosen by the Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC). The three representatives of the peace agreement signatories retained their positions despite publicly rejecting the ousting of the civilian forces.
Idris accused Al-Burhan of leading a second coup on April 15, 2023, in cooperation with remnants of the former regime to obstruct Sudan’s path to stability and democratic transformation. He confirmed his refusal to relocate to Port Sudan, which serves as the headquarters of the “war government” predominantly influenced by remnants of the former regime, in line with his previous stances.
“These positions compelled the former regime to issue multiple dismissal orders in the name of the Army’s Commander-in-Chief and instigated the leader of the coup and the war igniter to dismiss me with his recent decision,” he said.
Currently, the Sovereignty Council consists of Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan as Chairman, his deputy Malik Aqar, and three other generals as members. Following the signing of the Juba peace agreement, the Council initially had 14 members.
Minister of Livestock rejects his dismissal
On November 1, Al-Burhan removed the Minister of Livestock, Hafez Ibrahim Abdel Nabi, along with several ministers appointed after the October 25 coup, who were experts in their respective fields.
In response to the removal, Abdel Nabi issued a statement in which he stated, “I do not accept the decision to dismiss me as it was made by an incompetent party lacking constitutional legitimacy.”
The dismissed minister clarified his commitment to fulfilling his duties until a civilian authority is established, in accordance with constitutional legitimacy stemming from the December 2018 revolution.
He explained that his appointment was endorsed by former Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok, based on the Constitutional Declaration, after he was nominated for the role by his group, which possessed the right to appoint and replace.
Abdel Nabi is the Vice-Chairman of the Sudanese Alliance, a coalition of several groups led by the late governor of West Darfur State, Khamis Abdallah Abkar. He is also the brother of the RSF Financial Affairs Officer and the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the RSF-owned Al-Sayha newspaper, Mustafa Abdel Nabi.
(ST)