By William Madouk Garang
Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO) allied to Dr. Riek Machar has accused the governor of Unity State, Dr. Joseph Manytuil of running state affairs alone, and sacking opposition officials without consultation.
This came after governor Manytuil in a gubernatorial order on Tuesday suspended the SPLM-IO nominated Commissioner of Panyijiar County, Mr. Gabriel Majiok Bol without citing any reason for his indefinite suspension.
Mr. Tor Tungwar, the chairman of the SPLM-IO in Unity state who also doubles as the Deputy Governor said governor Manytuil has been suspending opposition officials since the formation of the state government which is a violation of the agreement.
“It is important to bring it to the attention of the Principals to the Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity that the Governor of Unity State has been on violations since the embryonic of the Revitalized Government of Unity State in March 2021”.
“Despite all the directives from the Presidency to the Governors and their Deputies to work collectively and make collegial decision when presiding over the affairs of the State,” the statement said.
He added that the governor has been suspending all the officials from oppositions who hold ministerial, County Commissionership positions as well as executive directors.
“The Governor has been insubordination of all the officials from oppositions who hold either Ministerial or County Commissionership positions, such as the Minister of Health, whom he has suspended indefinitely and Rubkona County Commissioner with the Director General or Executive Director who comes from the SPLM-IG,” the statement added.
Mr. Tungwar also revealed that Dr. Manytuil has suspended Cabinet and Security meetings meant to discuss and design solutions to the insecurity and political crisis in the state.
“The SPLM-IO as part of Unity State Government has been engaging the Governor through the Deputy Governor and sometimes via the SPLM-IO Committee, in search of sustainable solutions to the political crisis in the State, but all these efforts were in vain due to the lack of collegial understanding and lack of the political will of the Governor,” it continued.
The statement further claimed that “the Governor went to the extent of subjecting the elected communities Head Chiefs to the political allocations position contrary to the Agreement”.
He further claimed that the governor does not respect the local administrative positions allocated to the SPLM-IO which was agreed upon.
“The Commissioners of Koch and Mayendit Counties have been on the offensive without being held accountable for all the violations since they jointly captured the SPLA-IO Cantonment in Mirmir, killed a good number of civilians and displaced thousands of people in Southern Unity”.
“Finally, the Governor today Monday 1st November 2022 suspended the Panyijiar County Commissioner on the baseless allegations of which he has instructed the Deputy Governor to direct the Commissioner to report himself to the State Headquarters, while the Commissioner was in the Peace workshop in Rumbek, Lakes State”.
“As a matter of fact, the Deputy Governor adhered to the Governor’s directive only that there was no direct flight from Rumbek to Bentiu. The Commissioner had to go back to Panyijiar County and some arrangements were underway to book the Commissioner to Bentiu Headquarters. To our surprise the Governor had suspended the Commissioner,” he noted.