Sudan’s ruling party rejects opposition call for national government

December 27, 2010 (KHARTOUM) — The ruling National Congress Party (NCP) has rejected opposition calls for a constitutional reform and national government saying his government emanates from a constitution that the opposition parties have approved.

The opposition Alliance of National Consensus Forces (ANCF) called on the ruling NCP to hold a constitutional conference to review the interim constitution adopted in 2005 as part of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA).

The leaders of the opposition alliance also stressed the need to form a transitional government to administrate the country and organize the constitutional conference saying the expected southern Sudan cessation revokes the legitimacy of this government which bears the responsibility of the partition of the country.

“The regime legitimacy derives from the National Constitution which was approved by all political forces, said Fateh Al-Rahman Sheila, Information Secretary at the NCP, adding that the opposition political forces were key part of the National Assembly, which passed the Constitution.

“The Interim National Constitution provides that the elected president remains in his position in the event the south chose to secede and the National Assembly completes its term,” he further emphasized.

Under the power-sharing protocol between the two CPA partners, northern Sudanese parties, from the opposition forces that fought against the regime with the SPLM and NCP allies, got 14 percent of the parliament’s seats.

The Umma party had been the only opposition party to no appointed MPs at the transitional parliament which hosted some representatives of the opposition umbrella at the time called National Democratic Alliance besides 52 percent for the NCP and 28 percent from the SPLM.

The opposition parties mostly boycotted the general elections marred by fraud allegations, as the SPLM withdrew its candidate for the presidential election.

The opposition parties on Sunday said they would call for a nationwide campaign for civil disobedience to topple the regime excluding violence. It also pledged to work for the resolution of Darfur conflict and to strengthen relations with the new state in the South.

Sheilla said his party can accept opposition’s challenge to topple the regime if it acts according to the provisions of the current constitution.

Sudanese opposition forces in the past had successfully removed Aboud military regime in October 194 and Nimeiri dictatorial government in April 1985. However, partisan interests and power struggle led to their quick collapse.

(ST)