Bashir’s party offers opposition cabinet posts in upcoming government
April 15, 2010 (KHARTOUM) —Sudan’s ruling National Congress Party (NCP) appeared confident of securing victory in the ongoing elections and offered opposition parties to join a “broad based” government that will be formed after the poll results are announced starting next week.
“We are facing important decisions like self-determination in the south and would like to garner as much support and as much consensus as we can” Al-Attabani added.
Sudan’s legislative and presidential polls are the first multi-party elections since 1986 but were marred by logistical and technical issues as well as boycotts by opposition parties including the Umma party, Northern sector of the Sudan People Liberation Movement (SPLM), Sudan Communist Party (SCP) and Umma Reform and Renewal Party (URRP).
Observers said the circumstances surrounded these elections undermine its credibility and legitimacy sought by President Omer Hassan Al-Bashir who faces an arrest warrant by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on charges of Darfur crimes.
But Al-Attabani said that the election results will be recognized by the world even if Bashir, an unpopular figure in the west, is declared winner along with the NCP.
“Any politician in his right mind would not decline such an offer,” he said.
Two parties that are likely to take up the NCP offer are the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) led by Mohamed Osman Al-Mirghani and Popular Congress Party (PCP) head by Islamist leader Hassan Al-Turabi.
The DUP has grown closer to the NCP in recent years and has distanced itself from an opposition alliance formed in Juba last year and there has been frequent reports of figures within the second largest party in Sudan seeking to join an NCP dominated government.
Al-Turabi who was a former ally of Bashir and fell out with him in 1999 has suggested yesterday that it is possible for his party to join hands with the NCP should they revert back to the principles of the 1989 coup that he was its ideological mastermind.
Today on the Qatar based Al-Jazeera channel, the PCP leader said that violations that occurred during the elections do not amount to fraud and that they were simply “minor mistakes”.
The SPLM presidential candidate who withdrew days before the elections Yasir Arman dismissed the NCP offer saying it will not solve the problems faced by the country stressing that the ruling party is implicitly admitting to committing fraud by making deals when no results have been announced yet.
The Umma party gave the offer a cautious welcome, saying it was interested in holding talks with the NCP and other parties, although it was too early to commit to joining a coalition.
“Let us talk about dialogue first, how to solve Sudan’s problems,” said Umma vice-president Fadlalla Burma.
Newspaper reports in Khartoum suggested that Bashir intends to replace figures which has been part of the government for 20+ years including Vice president Ali Osman Taha who may be removed in favor of a Darfuri figure such as Al-Tigani Al-Sissi who was recently appointed as head of the rebel Liberation and Justice Movement (LJM).
(ST)
Gatwech
Bashir’s party offers opposition cabinet posts in upcoming government
Dear readers,
What a co-incident. I just read it in a different news posted by James Gatdet Dak that Salvatore Kiir and his running mate (Vice President), Dr. Riek Machar are also planning to bring South Sudan opposition leaders to the next cabinet.
This is a welcome move after elections than can silent opposition parties (some of them of course).
But Ali Osman should not be removed before referendum. He is the one who negotiated the CPA, implemented with Dr. Riek Machar for the last five years as party team leaders.
Yes, installing opposition leaders in the next elected governmetn is a wise move. I hope in the South, Dr. Lam Akol will become the foreign minister (regional cooperation) or minister for Presidential Affairs.
Omer Hassan Omer
Bashir’s party offers opposition cabinet posts in upcoming government
This is absolutely political disaster that the leaders of two big political parties stated initially that they will participate on the coming government which, so far the election indicators showing that Albashir is coming for the second period. Trabie was one who advised Albashire to go to ICC it means he acknowledged that this man is criminal and he wanted for international justice. We remember few months ago he declared that he cannot ally the government of criminals really Trabie is contradicting himself it is big disappointment and by this statement he will lose majority of his supporters. But late us go back to 1989 Trabie was one who cooked this bitter food which for almost 20 years we unable to swallow it.
kuminyandi
Bashir’s party offers opposition cabinet posts in upcoming government
Dear Southerners,
A losing parties are not supposed to be given positions in the government. If they are going to get posts, then what’s the significance of Democratic Elections? If the government would like to appeases those parties on accounts of winners, then that’s different matter. In TRUE DEMOCRACY, the parties who won least seats in the election are the ones who would form opposition because they’re minority in the government. No parties who lost election should be invited to participate in the government; simply because no body elected those parties, and who are they going to represent when no body voted for them? Therefore, they must be excluded till next election. Thanks
Kumi,
Laraka Machar T
Bashir’s party offers opposition cabinet posts in upcoming government
God forbid, Bashir and the NCP cannot fool any one again in the government of National Unity which virtually does not stand for doing the right things in the republic. Let the SPLM be patient and wait for the South Sudan sucession to enjoy the fruits of a ruling party.
Thanks.
Rasta
Bashir’s party offers opposition cabinet posts in upcoming government
You are international war criminal man ! I see no body who gonna SHARE you that BUSINESS man??!! IT´S TOO MUCH , THE THING IS ( GENOCIDE ). EQUAL RIGHTS & JUSTICE FOR EVERY ONE !! One love