South Sudan opposition urges release of elections results

Ngor Arol Garang

May 10, 2010 (WUNROK)-Supporters of various opposition political parties and candidates from southern Sudan, who contested in the recently conducted polls, have urged the National Elections Commission to publish results saying that would provide greater transparency and to build public confidence.

“We urge the NEC to publish results of individual polling centers as quickly and widely as possible so as to allow thorough review of the results, especially those based on manual tabulation, which lack the safeguards of the electronic tabulation system, said, Mou Kuan Adim.

Mou contested elections in the southern state of Northern Bahr el Ghazal for parliamentary seat in Juba independently after failing to secure endorsement of his candidature by the SPLM political bureau in January. He led primary results against SPLM official nominee, Luka Agiu Agiu, who is widely known to have met no requirements for selection, just his popularity in the area.

According to Mou, he said he won elections by large margins but was denied his victory. “Results from polling stations which show I was ever a head of my rival, have been swapped. My scores have been given out and announced in favor of SPLM candidate;” he said urging the NEC to consider releasing manual tabulations.

Equally, Bol Deng Kuot, a southern intellectual from Warrap State in Wunrok, supported the call saying publication of the results of each and every polling station giving details of particular constituency would reduce blames of votes rigging reported in some states.

“A swift posting of all polling station results could allow stakeholders to verify the accuracy of the official data and address ongoing doubts as to the credibility of the results;” he said.

The NEC should make individual polling station results available so that all parties have access to the necessary evidence for meaningful complaints, appeals, and challenges to election results. The NEC and the Court should allow complaints and appeals to be submitted as and when individual polling station results are available, he explained.

In three southern states of Northern Bahr el Ghazal, Unity, Central Equatoria, fierce competition over gubernatorial post, State, regional and national parliamentary in April polls have left no clear winners hence generated frustrations and enmity as well as fear of possible political instability in these areas.

Gubernatorial results and parliamentary have not been recognized by the contestants who are reported to have lost elections all to SPLM candidates.

“Do you believe there were free and fair elections held in Sudan?”Asked Magir Aru Luac, a supporter of an opposition candidate from Southern Sudan Democratic Party. “There were no elections. What happened were ceremonial elections of both SPLM and NCP,” he said.

“Have you ever find reports suggesting failure of the NCP and SPLM candidates,” he said.

(ST)