Sudan’s DUP denies alliance with ruling NCP in elections

January 22, 2010 (KHARTOUM) –The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) has reportedly denied widespread speculations that he intends to run a joint ticket with the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) in the April general elections.

This month the official Egyptian Middle East News Agency (MENA) quoted DUP sources as saying that the party leader Mohamed Osman Al-Mirghani intends to endorse president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir for presidency.

Many opposition figures inside Sudan have been skeptical over the DUP party stances particularly after it skipped the Juba conference held in Juba last year. The major northern party gave conflicting reasons for boycotting the convention with others saying that Al-Mirghani is worried that the conference seeks to replace the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) he heads.

The independent Al-Sahafa daily based in Khartoum said that Al-Mirghani told his party leaders on Thursday that they should ignore any talks of bilateral alliances or concessions while stressing that they intend to soon name a candidate to run in the presidential elections.

During the meeting held in the Sudanese capital, the DUP leader underlined the importance of naming a candidate to all constituencies regardless of any other factors. He further said that he informed Bashir and First Vice President Salva Kiir that the unity of Sudan or resolving its issues would not be in Kenana or Juba but in the presidential palace where all political initiatives should stem from.

(ST)