Jonglei Governor -elect reacts to defeated rival’s demand to quit office
May 4, 2010 (BOR) – Jonglei State Governor-elect says defeated rival’s call for his removal is impossible because “it is the people of Jonglei who elected me”.
Mr. Athor is accused by the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) of being behind Dolieb Hill assault that reportedly resulted to death of 15 soldiers and two dozen others injured last Friday. In initial interviews, Mr. Athor downplays his involvement in attack which he attributes to SPLA internal disputes.
George Athor announced on Monday that he had pulled together a group of soldiers under his leadership and demanded that the governor of Jonglei who won the recent election be removed. “I need Governor Kuol to be removed from his position,” Athor told Reuters, referring to Jonglei’s incumbent SPLM governor Kuol Manyang who kept his seat in the elections.
“Who is George Athor to say that I will be sacked?” Kuol responded on Tuesday in an interview with the Sudan Tribune. “I was elected by the people of Jonglei Sate and if the people of Jonglei lost confidence in me, they will say and I will resign,” he added.
Mr. Manyang says his main focus is the formation an “inclusive” local government where all tribes will be represented with objectives to complete disarmament for total peace in the south’s vast-populous State. He stressed that limited resources remain stumbling block to achieve this huge “ambition”.
Kuol Manyang (SPLM) obtained 165,387 of valid votes (66.2%) against George Athor Deng (Independent) who scored 67,639 votes (27.1%). Joseph Duer (NCP) comes last with 16,704 votes (6.7%)
Athor and other independent candidates accused the south’s dominant party, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), of harassing their supporters and rigging the vote. The SPLM rejects the claims and challenge their rivals to follow legal steps by opening cases against the National Election Commission (NEC) for court hearings.
(ST)