By Ochaya Jackson
The South Sudan National Congress Party (NCP) announced that it had suspended its Chairperson Agnes Poni Lukudu, from the party during a press conference held in Juba on Wednesday 29th July 2020.
According to the statement read out by Secretary General of the Party, Mathew Mayor Ayoung, the move came after the party’s political bureau in its extraordinary meeting No.3/2020, on July 15th, 2020 attended by two thirds of its members deliberated on matters of party’s constitution violations by the Chairperson Agnes Poni Lukudu.
And they found out that Agnes had committed various violations ranging from continuous adjournment of the party’s Executive Committee meeting for a period of four years, taking unilateral decisions without the approval of National Executive and Political Bureau, rejection of the revitalized peace agreement provisions of article 1.3.3, and her decision to join the National Agenda forum.
“After thorough deliberations and discussions by the members on what prompted the party’s Chairperson to act contrary to Party’s constitution, it was found out that some interference by some individuals from the National Agenda Forum has been a major factor behind these violations in an attempt to create disconnect and division within the party prompting the party’s Chairperson to act without reverting to the party in accordance with the party’s constitution”, the statement reads in part.
And it added that “the meeting resolved [the] suspension of Agnes Poni Lukudu from her position as Chairperson of the Party with effect from July 15th, 2020; [and] assigned Mathew Mayor Ayoung, Secretary General of the Party in accordance with article (D) of the Party’s constitution to undertake the necessary arrangements to organize the next extraordinary meeting of the party”.
Agnes Poni Lukudu when contacted for comment, she confirmed the move but she said what had been alleged on her was totally lies.
“Yes they brought the suspension letter……I reject the decision totally because it is improper and he [Mathew Mayor Ayoung] has no mandate to remove anybody not even office messenger”, Agnes told No.1 Citizen Daily Newspaper on phone interview.
Asked what exactly caused the wrangle within the party, she alleged that it is corruption and power struggle.
“He had hired a place for office, he had been running the office without paying the rent despite the contribution of the different members of the party and part of the conflict is struggle for power there. He himself was already taking decision to be Chairperson of the party and when he is questioned he will say no…..no it was a mistake”, she alleged.
Again, when asked what she would do since she had been suspended, she said “I am not suspended I am working today [yesterday] I have been meeting the Executive Members…..because there is no regulation there that regulates that they can suspend or remove”, she lamented.