Darfur’s NLPJ to withdraw from Sudan’s federal cabinet

June 17, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – Darfur’s National Liberation and Justice Party (NLJP) led by Tijani al-Sissi on Wednesday has decided to suspend its political partnership with the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) and to withdraw from the government.

The former rebel Liberation and Justice Movement (LJM), formed by 19 rebel factions, signed the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD) on 14 July 2011 with its leader Sissi became the chairman of the Darfur Regional Authority (DRA).

However, last March the LJM split into two political parties following deep differences between Sissi and the group’s secretary general Bahar Idris Abu Garada. The two parties participated in April’s general elections at the national constituencies’ level.

The NLJP did not explain the reasons behind the decision to withdraw from the government which has been taken in an emergency meeting on Wednesday.

It said in a short statement following the meeting that it will hold a press conference on Thursday to disclose details of the decision.

The decision provides for pulling all party officials off their posts in the federal and states’ governments.

Sources told Sudan Tribune that the NLJP continued to complain that the NCP didn’t carry out understandings reached by both parties before the elections regarding its participation in the government.

They pointed that the NLJP expressed reservation on the distribution of ministerial portfolios, saying the NCP ignored to appoint its officials in the recent cabinet formation.

(ST)