SPLM lauds election of Malik Aggar as Blue Nile State Governor

By Ngor Arol Garang

April 26, 2010 (WUNROK) — Pagan Amum, Secretary General of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement and his deputy for northern Sudan Yasir Arman have lauded election of the Malik Agar as new governor of the northern state of Southern Blue Nile.

Malik who contested elections conducted from 11-15, April 2010, against, Farah Aggar, from the ruling National Congress Party (NCP), was an SPLM official nominee for gubernatorial post in Blue Nile. His election to the chair by majority votes saw massive celebrations in both Southern Blue Nile State Capital of Damazin and Kurmuk. These celebrations were all attended by top SPLM officials headed by Secretary General Pagan Amum and his deputy for Northern sector Yasir Saeed Arman.

Speaking at the two rallies, both Amum and Arman congratulated citizens of Blue Nile state saying they have voted wisely. “That was your rights to vote for candidates of your choice as stipulated in the Sudanese constitution,” said Arman while addressing crowd in the southern Blue town of Kurmuk on Friday 23.

Kurmuk was one of the areas that fell to the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement after days of fierce battle between forces loyal to the Sudanese government and forces loyal to the Sudan People’s Liberation Army under the command of current SPLM chairman who doubles up as GOSS President, Salva Kiir Mayardit, in May 1987.

The town however fell back to the government in 1988 under forces led by Southern Sudan brigade commander, Deng Marol who was serving in the national army.

The SPLA equally and no later than sooner felt the pinch and took it again in November 1989, just five months after incumbent Sudanese President Omer Bashir, entered presidential palace in a military coup on June 30th 1989 and remained in control till signing of the comprehensive peace agreement in 2005 between the two warring parties, the SPLM and NCP.

In a hot gubernatorial race, the National Elections Commission (NEC) on Thursday, 22 April 2010, announced Aggar as elected governor of the state with the highest number of votes against his NCP rival. He received 108,119 while, Farah Ibrahim Mohamed Al-Aggar, who contested the poll as NCP candidate got 99417 votes.

Tension between supporters prior to the announcement of the result was high and allegations of rigging the results in favor of NCP candidate floated the media. There were also reports about troop movement and building up of security forces in the area in an attempt to announce elections results against SPLM candidate and to contain security situation in the event of massive protest against result favoring NCP.

In an address to the gathering celebrating his victory on Friday 23, at Damazin town stadium, Agar called on the people of the state to show forgiveness and move on as one and the same people to build a better, peaceful and tolerant state.

In Kurmuk, SPLM Secretary General, Pagan Amum who was the chief guest, attending celebration of the gubernatorial victory of his long serving SPLM top member, urged Blue Nile State to rally behind Aggar as they voted for him during voting process.

“Your love for Agar should not end with votes. It has to continue until your dreams are made real,” Amum said adding that your vote for comrade Aggar truly shows that the SPLM remains a peoples’ party.

earlier, Agar, who also serves as Deputy Chairman of the SPLM while thanking citizens of Blue Nile State for having voted him as candidate of their choice, vowed to serve all without social segregation and discrimination based on political affiliation.

“I will serve you as citizens of Blue Nile State regardless of our backgrounds and I look forward to working together with you for better achievements in the future,” he said.

Acknowledging threats and intimidations by some groups during voting process, he thanked the volunteers who played a major role in the door-to-door campaigns and in educating the citizens on how to vote. He also thanked those who voted for the withdrawn SPLM Presidential Candidate, Yasir Arman, saying their actions clearly tell the world who they preferred as their president.

“Your votes for Arman have the meaning and this one of the reasons he accepted to pull out of the race because he does not want to disappoint you at the end,” Aggar said. Yasir won by over 200,000 votes in the Blue Nilewhile incumbent president and NCP candidate Al Bashir got only 19,000 votes.

(ST)