(ST)
An Independent candidate for northern Bahr el Ghazal State who is also a member of the southern Sudan ruling party, SPLM, has downplayed appeal requesting to consider stepping down in favor of official nominees.
On Sunday, the SPLM Secretary General Pagan Amum told press that his party has given independent candidates two weeks to reconsider their positions in the interest of unity within the party.
"We have given them three options until February 13th with one option being withdrawal of their candidacy from April’s general elections," Pagan said.
The other one being dialogue and consultations with their supporters, and the last option being leadership consultation to announce its final decision in case some candidates decline to withdraw from the race, he underscored.
He further said hoping majority of the candidates as per discussions he had with them on Sunday 7, will formally withdraw their applications from contesting within one week’s period.
But northern Bahr el Ghazal State gubernatorial aspirant, General Dau Aturjong said he has no intention to consider withdrawing from the upcoming elections saying he has already submitted his application to the National Election Commission office as independent candidate.
Dau also said his supporters have not shown any interest to decline the race, adding he find it hard to go against their determination, he stressed.
"I am not alone, I have people (in reference to his supporters) wanting me stand in the upcoming elections" he said.
If these people are not convinced by the decision being taken by the leadership, I don’t see possibilities of going against their interest, after all, these are the people one fights to represent even those being said as official nominees, he adds.
General Dau’s position matches with position of the Angelina Teny, the State Minister of Energy and Mining who reportedly said has no intention to drop out from contesting as an independent for Governorship in Unity State.
Earlier, the Secretary General had said having SPLM members splitting from the party and contesting as independents will divide the votes and is disruptive to the SPLM’s elections strategy.
(ST)