Jukino Fidel Nyikayo, former opposition governor of South Sudan’s Fashoda State, declared his loyalty to President Salva Kiir on Saturday.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj, Nyikayo confirmed that he decided to defect from prominent armed opposition leader Riek Machar to Salva Kiir government due to what he called unclear programs in the SPLM-IO group.
Nyikayo, who hails from the Shilluk community, said he would discuss a longstanding ethnic dispute over Shilluk land with President Salva Kiir in Juba.
“The main concern of the Shilluk tribe is the issue of land,” he said.
The former rebel official was part of the Aguelek forces in Upper Nile region aligned with the SPLM-IO group and commanded by General Johnson Olony.
The former opposition governor criticized the SPLM-IO's policies which he said caused differences. “I had differences with the SPLM-IO leadership and that disagreement made me to take the decision to re-join the SPLM,” he said.
“Previously, we discussed with President Kiir the issue of land dispute and we are going to discuss it with him again. I was part of the SPLM and I am going to discuss the issue with the SPLM,” he said.
“We have not signed any deal with the government but we have contacts with them. The government is aware of our coming to join,” he added.
Nyikayo claimed that he defected to the SPLM faction led by President Salva Kiir together with a number of officials. However, the defector didn’t give further details about the other officials who also disowned Machar’s SPLM-IO.
Nyikayo said he will travel to Juba on Monday.
Jukino Fidel had served as opposition governor of Fashoda before being removed by armed opposition leader Riek Machar. He had also served as Major General in the group’s military wing.