Sudan’s SPA distances themselves from Osman’s nomination to Sovereign Council
August 19, 2019 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese Professionals Association (SPA) said in a statement on Monday morning that they did not nominate to the Sovereign Council Taha Osman, who was rejected by professional associations because his choice violates the principle of non-participation in the transitional executive organs.
Several professional associations issued statements rejecting the nomination of Taha Othman, a lawyer member of the Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC)’s negotiating team representing the Communist Party.
Osman had been nominated in a seat to be filled by an independent candidate from Darfur region the SPA had to choose.
The SPA said in its statement that they decided to refrain from submitting a candidate to the presidential council after their candidate Mohamed Ahmed Youssef declined and left the matter the FFC nominations committee.
To better explain the situation, the SPA said that the nomination committee selected Musa Adam Abdel-Jalil and Taha Osman. However, when Abdel Jalil declined the nomination the FFC committee decided to endorse the only remaining candidate: Taha Osman.
The professionals further asserted they didn’t take part in the vote and they recalled the principle of the FFC non-participation in the executive bodies.
The statement hailed Osman’s decision to decline his nomination, in line with the FFC rules.
Further, the SPA, which was the spearhead of the protest movement avoided pointing an accusing finger to any side but stressed that the nomination process and the objections reflect a democratic spirit in the large coalition.
Shams al-Din Kabbashi, the spokesman for the military council, in the early morning of Monday, announced the postponement of the appointment of the Sovereign Council for 48 hours at the request of the FFC.
(ST)