Sudan’s NUP denies intention to join government

November 9, 2013 (KHARTOUM) – The National Umma Party (NUP) led by al-Sadiq al-Mahdi reiterated that it will not be part of the upcoming government shuffle expected to take place later this month.

The pro-government Sudanese Media Center (SMC) website quoted the NUP deputy chairman and the former Secretary General Sideeg Ismail as saying that there are many understandings forged with the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) that were submitted to both parties’ leaderships for review.

Ismail, who is known to favor rapprochement with the NCP, noted that the NUP works to achieve consensus with other components of the political arena to address the issues on the basis of achieving the desired democratic transformation.

He also called for consultations on the upcoming ministerial shuffle within a national and comprehensive framework agreed to by all political forces.

The NUP official said that talks with the NCP are continuing on the outcome of the meeting that took place last August between al-Mahdi and Sudanese president Omer Hassan al-Bashir.

Last September, Bashir disclosed that they have reached an agreement with the NUP that will soon be signed. But the opposition party later denied any such imminent accord.

The NUP emphasized in a statement released by the General Secretariat on Saturday the clarity of its position and warned that the problems of Sudan have became more dangerous and complex which makes it impossible for a corrupt or incompetent regime to fix it.

“Participation in this regime means more suffering and loss for the people of Sudan, and talk about it from circles that have an interest in distorting the positions of an opposition party that is at the forefront of the forces of change is a crime against the party and the nation,” the statement reads in part.

“Whoever wants to be involved [in the regime] has to choose another party other than the NUP”.

(ST)