Agok Makur, an advocate representing the opposition National Alliance, has criticized an attempt by South Sudan’s Chief Justice Chan Reech seeking to disqualify him from representing the opposition alliance in a case against the 28 states.
Opposition parties brought a case against the government last October after President Salva Kiir decreed the creation of 28 states, saying the president cannot alter the number of states stipulated in the constitution, which is ten.
The National Alliance asked that Chief Justice Chan Reech recuse himself from the case, but instead Chan Reech claimed that Agok Makur was not qualified by the South Sudanese bar association.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj, Agok described the position of the chief justice as unjust.
“I will not accept because I have evidence that I am a lawyer, I have a license and I have my ID,” he said.
The lawyer insisted that he will continue to follow the case presented by the opposition alliance to the High Court against the Chief Justice.
The National Alliance says that Justice Chan Reech has disqualified himself from ruling in the 28 states case because of a “congratulatory message” that he published in This Day newspaper, addressed to Salva Kiir, supporting the president’s move to create 28 states.
“Your excellency President of the Republic Salva Kiir Mayardit, I, the Chairman of the Aguok Community in Juba, Justice Chan Reec Madut on behalf of the entire Aguok Community and on my own behalf seize to take this opportunity to congratulate you for your bold decision for the creation of Gogrial State among others,” he wrote.
File photo: Agok Makur