Gedaref governor says forced to resign by Khartoum

May 5, 2012 (KHARTOUM) – The governor of Gedaref state Karamallah Abbas denied that he resigned voluntarily as was reported by state media and the ruling National Congress Party (NCP).

“It was in response to a request by Mr. president, my leader, and as a Muslim I am required to obey the Imam with clout even if he is corrupt,” Abbas said in an interview published on several Sudanese news websites.

Yesterday, Sudan official news agency (SUNA) said that Abbas submitted his resignation to president Omer Hassan al-Bashir who accepted it and appointed Al-Daw Mohamed al-Mahi as acting governor pending elections in 60 days.

It is not clear why Abbas would submit his resignation to the president rather than the Gedaref legislative assembly.

Abbas triggered a crisis this week when he abruptly dissolved his cabinet following a stormy meeting the day before with federal finance minister in Khartoum Ali Mahmood Abdel-Rasool.

The Gedaref governor has been complaining for months that the finance minister is blocking disbursements owed to his state since 2006 and has publicly expressed his dismay with the deadlock.

His remarks over the media has angered Bashir who said that Abbas should have gone through the official channels to express his grievances.

Abbas revealed that he met with First Vice President Ali Osman Taha on Friday upon his request and explained the crisis that forced him to disband his government.

The governor specifically mentioned Taha’s instructions that he be given 25 vehicles but which finance minister refused to implement.

According to Abbas, Taha blamed him for not reaching out to him over the issue and requested that he reverse his decision on the cabinet and go abroad on a “long” medical treatment trip.

“I asked him did you send the vehicles [I requested] to the state. He said ‘No’. I told him you want to tell me submit your resignation? He said ‘Yes’. ” Abbas said.

The governor said he told the 1st VP that Khartoum has no way of removing him unless they declare the state of emergency in Gedaref but that he will resign at his request.

Nonetheless, Abbas described the official statement on him resigning voluntarily as a “lie”. He added that no one in the central government likes him and that he trusts no one in the ruling party.

The governor suggested that he will run again in the upcoming elections as either an independent or on the opposition National Umma Party (NUP) ticket given his family’s traditional allegiance to it.

Should the elections be fair, Abbas said he will win a landslide victory.

(ST)