Sudan’s DUP denies media reports on leadership succession arrangements

September 6, 2014 (KHARTOUM) – The former presidential candidate from Sudan’s Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and its leading figure Hatim al-Sir has dismissed media reports on ongoing arrangements to install him as successor of the current party leader, Mohamed Osman al-Mirghani.

Al-Sir described the report which appeared on the daily newspaper of al-Watan as “rumors” and “false and misleading media leaks”, stressing that those behind them want to shake trust and widen divisions within DUP ranks.

He scoffed at news on succeeding al-Mirghani and described it as “laughable”, saying that this issue is out of the question for the time being.

“We as DUP members thank Allah [God] that our leader Mohamed Osman al-Mirghani (may Allah preserve him) is at the height of his energy and assumes his partisan and national duties to the fullest and we are working according to his directives,” he added.

He told Sudan Tribune that all DUP members are lining up behind al-Mirghani because “he taught us meanings of true struggle and devotion” on the basis of Sufi teachings which he inherited from his predecessors, pointing that the latter would continue to hold high and honorable positions.

“No one has the social and political capital, and public support which al-Mirghani enjoys as leader of the DUP and Murshid [guide] of Khatmiya Sufi order”, he said.

Al-Sir further warned al-Mirghani’s followers against falling prey to conspiracies and traps set by those who seek to divide them.

Last week, Al-Watan newspaper quoted unnamed sources as saying that al-Mirghani and several DUP leaders are preparing al-Sir for assuming the party chairmanship.

The same sources predicted that differences would arise between al-Sir and al-Mirghani’s sons if the former took over the leader position.

Al-Watan also quoted the leading figure at the DUP, Hassan Abu-Sabeeb, as saying he rules out that Al-Sir would succeed al-Mirghani as party leader.

“If there was a political succession, al-Hassan al-Mirghani [son of al-Mirghani] the DUP organization secretary would most likely assume the chairmanship by virtue of his position”, he said.

Al-Sir accused unnamed circles of trying to “export” their chairmanship crisis to the DUP, saying they “want us to put a new name on the list of the party leader’s possible substitutes everyday but we are aware of what is being plotted against us”.

He was alluding to the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) which recently said it would short-list five possible candidates for the 2015 general elections.

The DUP figure accused the same parties of fabricating those media reports and publishing them in an “unprofessional and unethical” manner, pointing to previous reports that he would assume the chairmanship of the DUP’s electoral committee.

Al-Sir underscored that those who published these reports are acting in bad faith, saying the DUP members know very well who stands behind them.

The DUP left opposition ranks and joined the “broad-base” government of the NCP in December 2011, citing the “need to save the country” in the words of al-Mirghani himself.

The decision of one of Sudan’s biggest opposition parties to join the government has created a great deal of internal dissent that saw many members quitting in protest. The party received three ministries in the federal cabinet.

(ST)