December 24, 2010 (KHARTOUM) – The ruling National Congress Party (NCP) dismissed calls made by the Sudanese prime minister and leader of the opposition Umma Party Al-Sadiq Al-Mahdi in which he called for a broad-based government.
“There is no room for a national government,” NCP’s deputy chairman and presidential assistant Nafie Ali Nafie told reporters this week.
Al-Mahdi made a list of demands last week that he wants the NCP to fulfill after the South Sudan referendum takes place in less than two weeks.
He called for an interim government that would write a new constitution, conduct new general elections that are fair and free, resolve the Darfur conflict, craft a brotherhood agreement with the south should it opt for independence in next month’s referendum, allowing for unrestricted political, tackling economic crisis an dealing with the International Criminal Court (ICC) row.
The opposition leader outlined his options if the NCP does not agree to his proposal.
“I personally at this stage of life, seeing with my own eyes the dismantling of Sudan will contemplate two decisions: join the stream of those who want to overthrow Bashir’s rule or the final relinquishment of political role and let the [Umma Party] General Assembly elect the party’s new leadership” he was quoted as saying.
Nafie said that the NCP “is not concerned with Al-Mahdi’s choices” saying that the former prime minister is the one who should make the call on what he wants to do.
Northern opposition parties are getting frustrated over what they see as the complete hegemony over the decision making process in the North, leaving out all the other major parties.
The last general elections in April have given the NCP an overwhelming majority in the parliament while retaining the presidency. Most opposition parties boycotted the elections and even those that participated managed to gain only a handful of seats in the national assembly.
(ST)