Three ministers and the SPLM-IO party deputy chairperson have switched to the SPLM Party in the Western Bahr el Ghazal State capital, Wau, on Saturday.
Minister of Agriculture Valentino Akec Akuar, Information Minister Samuel Nicola, both of the SPLM-IO, and Housing Minister Peter Deng Matthew from the National United Democratic Party (NUDF), and Yasir Buolla, a state lawmaker and deputy chairperson of SPLM-IO in the state, defected with several members to the SPLM Party led by President Salva Kiir.
The defectors declared their new allegiance before Achom Edward Apuoro, the SPLM Party chairperson in Western Bahr el Ghazal State, at the party’s premises.
Ministers Akec and Nicola, who defected from SPLM-IO, accused their former party of tribalism and nepotism, saying the party had lost its mission and vision. Akuar said the SPLM-IO had no presence in Jur River County where he came from.
“This resignation is not only my resignation but it is a resignation of all the SPLM-IO members in Jur River County,” said Akuar. “The reason why we abandoned the SPLM-IO and went back to the SPLM Party is that there is tribalism and discrimination within the party both at the national and the state level.”
For his part, Minister Nicola said his community demanded that he return to the SPLM Party.
“Today I stand before you here with humility and profound gratitude. I thank God for welcoming me back to my mighty party, the SPLM, as a son who had lost his way and is now back home,” he said. “To be honest with you, dear compatriots, SPLM-IO lost its way; we began as a movement with legitimate grievances, but it has now degenerated into confusion and leadership vacuums.”
Meanwhile, Peter Deng Mathew, Minister of Housing and a member of the National United Democratic Party (NUDF), said he returned to the SPLM Party because it fought for the country’s independence.
“I, Peter Deng Mathew Achor, do hereby declare my official return to the mother party, SPLM,” he said. “SPLM is a party that struggled hard to bring stability and this country.”
The defectors were warmly welcomed back by the state SPLM party chairperson, Edward Achom Apuoro.
“As a chairperson of the SPLM party in the state, I welcome the minister of Information, minister of agriculture, and deputy chairperson of the SPLM-IO party in the state to our party,” he said.
Last week, a significant political realignment unfolded in Western Bahr el Ghazal as 35 members of the National United Democratic Front (NUDF) tendered their collective resignation and formally joined the United South Sudan Party (USSP) led by Paulino Lukudu Obede, Deputy Governor of Central Equatoria State.
Governor Sharif Daniel Sharif immediately suspended the two ministers.
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