General Dau cuts short visit to Juba for talks with Arman’s delegation
By Ngor Arol Garang
February15, 2010 (KHARTOUM)– General Dau Aturjong Nyuol, a gubernatorial aspirant in Southern State of Northern Bahr el Ghazal, has cut short his four-day visit to Juba for talks with a SPLM political bureau delegation headed by Yasir Saeed Arman expected to visit Aweil town this week.
Dau was in Juba for talks by president of the government of South Sudan Salva Kiir Mayardit who said need personal discussions with him in an attempt to persuade him to reconsider his intention to contest against incumbent governor and SPLM nominee Paul Malong Awan Anei during the upcoming election.
“I have called general Dau for personal talks and to confirm whether he has received messages from delegations that have met him on behave, said President Salva Kiir while talking to elders from the area on Sunday 14 in his residence in Juba.
“I also need to find out from him and not from someone else what exactly is happening in the area in regard to nomination irregularities and subsequent concerns as an officer I have known for far too long,” the president adds.
But the talks allegedly held over last weekend between President Salva Kiir and General Dau never materialized with Dau insisting to contest upcoming election saying he has already submitted his application as independent candidate to the National Election Commission office in the State and it is too late to reconsider his position.
He is also being pressured by his supporters not to accept stepping down in favor of incumbent governor saying he represents choice of the majority.
Honorable Peter Lual Lual Ayok, who was dropped off the list of candidates by the SPLM Electoral College, denied that Arman is going for talks with independent candidates to consider stepping down.
“He is going to solicit our votes and not talks to decline from contesting elections,” he said. “A person standing the same elections cannot tell another person to reconsider his position otherwise he has to show it himself,” he adds.
He said Arman is standing become national president and if he is asked to reconsider his position, will he accept, he posed stressing “he does not support the idea that he is coming for talks with independents”.
Ayok further reiterated that he has withdrawn from contesting upcoming elections independently as per his initial position in favor of Thomas Mou Kuan Adim.
“I decided to drop off race so that we do not divide votes of our electorates during voting day. I realized there was no reason I should stand against Mou since he and I comes from the area, just distance of houses,” he said. “I will support him win this election,” he commented.
(ST)