Sudan’s electoral body rejects complaints over NCP’s use of state resources for presidential campaign

March 12, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – The National Election Commission (NEC) in Sudan has brushed aside complaints by independent presidential candidates on the use of aircraft and cars by senior officials from the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) in the electoral campaign of president Omer Hassan al-Bashir.

The electoral body explained to representatives of those disgruntled candidates that these activities are in line with NCP resources at their disposal and vehemently denied being biased in favor of certain candidates.

“Any party or independent candidate works within their means,” said NEC media officer Mahasin Haj al-Safi.

Some of dozen presidential candidates have explicitly accused Bashir of exploiting the state resources in his elections campaign.

One of the candidates by the name of Ahmed al-Radi accused the NEC at a press conference of being too weak to confront the NCP on the issue of “exploiting official channels and positions”.

He revealed that he asked the NEC to bar the use of places of worship in the campaign and prevent constitutional post holders from using their offices to support specific candidates.

The NEC this week ordered the presidency to intervene to stop the use of government cars for the purposes of campaigning by state governors, federal and state ministers. It noted that this is a clear violation of law.

In a related issue, Yassin Ibrahim, an official at the state TV & Radio announced that interviews with all candidates have been broadcasted in the first phase.

Ibrahim asserted that coverage of Bashir’s activities is in his capacity as a president and not as a candidate.

(ST)