Sudanese court to rule on challenge to DUP’s participation in elections
March 11, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – A Sudanese court is expected to rule this Sunday on whether a Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) official was legally qualified to register the party to participate in the general elections scheduled in April.
These figures who oppose having the DUP contest in the elections, assert that the move was done behind their backs and without the consent of the party’s institutions.
Ali al-Sayed, a member of this group told Sudan Tribune that the judge reviewing the challenge informed them today that a decision will be forthcoming on Sunday.
Al-Sayed has previously accused the NEC head Mokhtar al-Asam of collaborating with the ruling party to make sure that the DUP remains in the elections race.
In his response to the challenge, al-Hassan said he had the mandate since the 2010 elections to represent the party before the NEC. But the plaintiffs argued that he was one of three DUP representatives and that he could not act alone and that the country’s Political Parties Registrar has to certify al-Hassan’s mandate before he could proceed to the elections body.
Al-Sayed said that the judge informed them that the registrar backed their argument in a written response to the court.
Seventeen of the DUP dissidents have reportedly been fired by al-Hassan earlier this month for violating the party’s rules.
In rare remarks to al-Youm al-Tali newspaper, al-Hassan described those dismissed as the DUP’s “ISIS (Islamic State group in Syria & Iraq)”.
He defended the DUP participation in the elections saying that the only alternative is violence even if the polls are marred with doubts.
Al-Hassan said those challenging his standing in the party are well aware of the missions he undertook and positions he is holding including the head of DUP elections committee since 2010.
It is widely believed that al-Hassan forged a secret deal with the ruling party on behalf of his father to have the DUP participate in the elections in return for seats in state and federal parliament.
Al-Mirghani has backed incumbent president Omer Hassan al-Bashir in his bid for a new term.
Al-Tayar newspaper quoted DUP sources this month as saying that the return of al-Mirghani from his residence in London depends on the implementation of agreements between the party and the NCP.
The sources said that al-Mirghani may postpone his return until after the elections because he wants to ensure that the NCP fulfills pledges it made to al-Hassan.
The DUP left opposition ranks and joined the “broad-based” 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)