Independent candidates pledges to remain members of the SPLM

February 6, 2010 (KHARTOUM) — Independent candidates contesting in the upcoming general elections scheduled to take place next April have pledged to remain members of the SPLM in the event they are elected.

“We do not have intention to leave this party, though our decision to run independently is being politicized for political support by our rivals in some areas, said MP Arthur Akuien Chol who stands for parliamentary seat in Juba as his name were left out by Northern Bahr el Ghazal State Electoral College.

We would not have taken this decision if Electoral College results were fair and meaningful, I would not have accepted run independently if it was fair exercise, he adds.

Similarly General Dau Aturjong reiterated that he and his groups with their supporters have no intention to leaving the party he said has served for far too long, “we remain committed members of the SPLM even if we are elected as independent candidates.”

General Dau Aturjong contests for gubernatorial post in Northern Bahr el Ghazal against incumbent governor Paul Malong Awan being SPLM official nominee.

The gubernatorial aspirant who travelled to Juba from Aweil on Friday 5, to attend a meeting called by the SPLM political bureau with all independent candidates, said he remain committed member of the SPLM and will make no mistake to work against his own party even if he wins the upcoming elections without political support from the SPLM leadership.

“I have reason to break away from SPLM because of a mistake made by Electoral College, it has to be challenged and solution found for it while still member of the SPLM,” he stressed.

He made these statement just hours prior to attending Political Bureau whose aims are to dissuade independents candidates from contesting the upcoming elections in order to maintain peace and unity within the party.

General Dau Aturjong Nyuol was among the first senior Sudan People’s Liberation Movement members to declare their intentions of running against official nominees.

Angelina Teny, state minister for energy at the government of National Unity, Alfred Lado Gore, a presidential advisor for diplomatic affairs in the government of South Sudan, Sarah Nyannath, Upper Nile State minister of Social Welfare and development, Col. Joseph Bakosoro who works at the SPLM southern secretariat in Juba among others were also reported to have declared intentions to run independently in their states.

This prompted SPLM leadership to call emergency meeting which ended with approval to run independently.

SPLM Secretary General, Pagan Amum, also confirmed that independent candidates are still members of the SPLM adding several members tried to quit the party after choosing to run as independent candidates but were told not to and asked to remain with the SPLM.

Their interest to run independently has been discussed and a compromise was reached last week, he said. This is why a meeting had been called by leadership with members running independently.

Asked what this meeting would address, he said, “As SPLM, our first interest is unity amongst members and acceptance of responsibility to sway no interest of Sudanese people embodied in the SPLM vision and mission,” he said.

However, if they insist to run independently, we have to listen to their voices and see possibilities of maintaining them as members after elections, he added.

(ST)