The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO) is calling for members who resigned while holding ministerial positions to vacate their offices.
In an interview with The Standard Zone News on Monday, Daniel Akot Akot, the SPLM-IO chairperson in Northern Bahr el Ghazal state, insisted that Garang Chan Atak, who stepped down from the party while serving as the state minister of Agriculture, Forestry, and Environment, must relinquish his position.
“If a member resigns from the party, they must also vacate the position they hold. We will ensure that Garang Chan Atak, who was appointed through the SPLM-IO ticket, steps down from his ministerial role,” Akot declared. “We are committed to taking the necessary steps to address this issue.”
Akot further mentioned that the party leadership in Northern Bahr el Ghazal intends to formally request Atak’s dismissal from his ministerial post. “Once the political climate stabilizes, we will submit a letter to the relevant authorities requesting his removal from office and ensuring the appointment of a new minister,” he added.
In a response to The Standard Zone News, Mr. Dut Nyibek, the office manager for the Minister of Agriculture, reiterated that the ministry remains operational. “We are still fulfilling our duties and providing services to the people of Northern Bahr el Ghazal. Our work continues, and we remain part of the government,” Nyibek stated.
James Mador Wol, a lawmaker from the SPLM-IO in the Northern Bahr el Ghazal state council, weighed in on the issue, explaining that resigning members must relinquish their positions in line with the 2018 peace agreement.
“Under the terms of the peace deal, members who resign from the SPLM-IO cannot hold onto their positions. Unless the President declares the agreement null and void, their resignation should be followed by a formal departure from office,” Wol argued.
This situation follows a wave of resignations within the SPLM-IO in Northern Bahr el Ghazal state, including the resignation of Atak, in the midst of rising political tensions. Atak resigned just one day after SPLM-IO leader Dr. Riek Machar was placed under house arrest.
In his resignation letter, Atak stated that he was exercising his constitutional right to resign from the party and his ministerial role. “I am resigning from the SPLM-IO Party and all positions held within it, in accordance with my legal and constitutional rights,” Atak wrote. He also clarified that neither he nor the others who resigned with him had decided to join any other political party as of yet.
Atak’s departure adds to the growing political instability in Northern Bahr el Ghazal, with tensions within the SPLM-IO continuing to rise. The party’s leadership remains firm in their stance, stating that resigning members must vacate their official roles to ensure adherence to the party’s rules and the 2018 peace agreement.
