Rizik Hassan Zachariah, governor of Lol state, one of the 28 new states in South Sudan, has issued an order appointing his deputy after several months of tension with Paul Malong Awan, chief of General staff of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA), the official army of South Sudan.

Governor Rizik, according to the order announced on Wednesday but which took effect on 8 March, has appointed Sumeya Adut, a fierce and longtime critic of Paul Malong as the deputy governor. Her appointment has ended months of lobbying among politicians seeking community and party favor for the post.

Lol State is carved out of Western and Northern Bahr el Ghazal states from the three counties of Raja, Aweil West and Aweil North. It is one of 28 new states created by presidential decree and therefore deemed unconstitutional by the National Alliance in Juba but called by Salva Kiir a demand of the people.

General Akot Deng Akot, an ally of Paul Malong, was among officials whom Malong had reportedly preferred to be appointed to the post but Rizik and several of his allies, including former caretaker Governor Kuel Aguer Kuel, whom governor Rizik himself had preferred, opposed the appointment of Akot and opted for a female official to occupy the post.