Sudanese lauds emergence of Arman as second successful candidate

By Ngor Arol Garang

April 27, 2010 (WUNROK) –Sudanese have praised the emergence of Yasir Saeed Arman as second successful candidate, albeit withdrawal, in the presidential race contested by 12 candidates from various political parties in Sudan.

Gathering the views of elections results, Sudan Tribune caught up with many Sudanese intellectuals and Students at higher learning institutions across the country to express their opinions on candidates of their choice. The randomly conducted interviews show that Arman was the candidate whose election manifesto has attracted many in the country.

Deng Achuil Malith, a southern Student at Juba University campus in Khartoum, said knew Arman would win more votes if he had participated in the poll. “He would have led all candidates including Bashir far more than anyone could have imaged. He was the candidate of our choice. I actually did not participate in the voting process for I had no candidate of my choice. My vote would have gone to a wrong candidate hence decided to pull out together with Arman,” Deng said.

Similarly, his colleague, Nasir Kuku, who is a community development Student at the same Juba University and comes from southern Kordofan town of Kadugli, told Sudan Tribune “I could not also vote because Arman who was candidate of his choice had withdrawn”.

Not only Arman, I did not vote for many other candidates of my choice who are members of the SPLM and pulled out at the last minute of the poll. He also added that his relatives in Kadugli, southern Kordofan did not vote in the national elections as they will vote during regional polls which are expected to be held during the upcoming period.

“We had actually been denied our right to vote because candidates of our choice withdrew from the race at short notice. This made it impossible to look other candidates with attractive proposals,” he adds.

In Wunrok, Hamid Ahmed Adam, who comes from Nyala, in the war ravaged western region of Darfur, and runs small scale retail business in the area, said withdrawal of Arman from the race was a shock to him and other friends. “When we first heard it, we treated it as media lies until we became aware from direct statements by Arman himself,” Adam said. “His withdrawal did not however stop me from voting. I voted for him, for Salva Kiir, SPLM candidate for Warrap State gubernatorial position, he disclosed.

Ajong Kuol Aleu, a southern Sudanese lawyer who works for an international organization as legal officer said she also experienced some difficulties in helping her eligible children she lectured to vote in favor of Yasir Arman. “I was unable to tell them again find candidate of their choice because I had already told them vote for Arman after I encouraged them to read his election manifesto,” Ajong said disclosing they have all voted for him.

“We voted for Arman because we wanted to vote and there was no other candidate though he withdrew, she said adding if Arman could become second to President Bashir, what you do think would have happened if he had participated. He would have won these elections even in the second run off,” Ajong said. Honestly, she said, stressing that the many in the north particularly in IDP camps, did not participate in the poll because of the withdrawal of Arman from the race.

Anei Deng Ater, Twic County commissioner, Warrap State, also told Sudan Tribune by phone from Turalei that, Arman was the only favorable and shining candidate in the race. His victory would have come out equal to the victory of the SPLM candidate for Southern Sudan Presidency, Salva Kiir Mayardit. He had blessing and approval of all in the country, Deng said in a brief interview.

On Monday 26, the withdrawn Sudan Peoples’ Liberation Movement (SPLM) candidate for the Sudanese presidency surprisingly garnered 2,193,826 (21.69 percent) votes even after withdrawing from the race earlier this month. According to the figures released by the National Election Commission, Mr Arman came second to the incumbent President Omar Al-Bashir who obtained 6,900,294 (68.24 percent) votes of the 10,114,310 votes casted for the position in the just concluded elections.

Abdalla Deng Nhial of the People’s Congress Party (PCP) became third with 396,139 votes, representing 3.92 percent of the total votes followed by Hatim Al-Sir Ali Sekinjo of the Democratic Unionist Party came fourth by winning 195,668 votes, representing 1.92 percent of the total number of the votes.

Saddiq Al-Siddiq Al-Mahdi of the National Umma Party came fifth by winning 96,868 votes, representing 0.96 percent of the total number of votes while independent candidate Kamel Al-Tayeb Idris came sixth by winning 77,132 votes, representing 0.76 percent of the total number of votes. Mahmoud Ahmed Jiha, another independent candidate came seventh by winning 71,707 votes, representing 0.71 percent of the total number of votes.

Mubarak Abdalla Al-Fadil of the Umma Party for Reform and Modernization came eighth by winning 49,302 votes, representing 0.49 percent of the total number of votes while Munir Sheikh-Eddin Munir of the New National Democratic Party came ninth by winning 40,277 votes, representing 0.40 percent of the total number of votes. Abdul-Aziz Khalid Osman of the Sudanese National Alliance came 10th by winning 34,592 votes, representing 0.34 percent of the total votes.

Dr. Fatima Ahmed Abdul-Mahmoud of the Sudanese Socialist Democratic Union came 11th by winning 30,562 votes, representing 0.3 percent of the total number of votes and Mohamed Ibrahim Nugud of the Sudanese Communist Party held the tail at the 12th position by winning 26,442 votes, representing 0.26 percent of the total number of votes.

(ST)