By Deng Athian
South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA), a signatory to the 2018 revitalized agreement on the resolution of conflict in South Sudan has withdrawn its confidence in Vice President Hussien Abdelbagi Akol.
In a letter signed by the seven political parties that form SSOA, Vice President Hussien Abdelbagi no longer represents SSOA.
“SSOA Leadership Council would like to inform the public that it has withdrawn its confidence in H.E. Hussein Abdel Bagi Akol as Vice President representing SSOA in the Presidency. It has communicated this decision to the appointing authority last month. Therefore, H.E. Hussein doesn’t speak for SSOA anymore,” it read.
SSOA is an alliance of eight political parties that, along with other parties, signed the R-ARCSS on September 12, 2018.
VP Abdelbagi was then noted and Vice President and Chair of the Service Cluster under the alliance.
SSOA, in their statement, cited Article 1.8.3 of the agreement, which states that, if the position of any Vice President becomes vacant for any reason, the respective party that originally nominated that person shall nominate a replacement.
“These provisions of R-ARCSS are crystal clear, and we appeal to the public not to be unduly worried about the rumours being circulated by those who think they can manipulate the institutions of the revitalized agreement to their narrow interests,” it added.
Several members of the SSOA also confirmed to this outlet the development.
VP Abdelbagi has not yet responded. However, when contacted, his press secretary, Gabriel Kiir Amoi, declined to comment on the matter.
Recently, South Sudan Patriotic Movement (SSPM) regarding party leadership. The tension arose after Vice President Hussein Abdelbaggi Akol announced the ousting of party chairman Dr. Costello Garang Riiny.
In response, Dr. Costello issued a statement asserting that he remains the rightful leader of the SSPM and that Hussein is suspended from the party pending an investigation.
It all started when the SSPM’s Information Secretary, Stephen Lual Ngor, in a statement, said that the SSPM’s National Liberation Council, in its extraordinary meeting, cast a vote of no-confidence against Costello.
They accused the latter of violating the party’s constitution, which included failing to collaborate with party members and neglecting key principles and mandates.
In rebuttal, the Presidential Advisor Costello Garang issued a separate statement on Saturday rejecting the move to kick him out of the party.
South Sudan is under a transitional government created after a 2018 peace agreement between President Salva Kiir, opposition leader Riek Machar and other political figures.
The transition period was meant to conclude with elections in December this year, but the government has failed to meet core provisions of the 2018 deal, including drafting a constitution.
In September, the unity government approved a two-year extension of the transitional period.
The extension shifts the end of the transitional period from February 2025 to February 2027 and moves the scheduled elections from December 2024 to December 2026.