Eight members of the SPLM-IO faction allied to First Vice President Taban Deng Gai in Ruweng State have defected to Kiir’s SPLM party, barely four days after Governor Theji Da Adwad Deng joined Kiir.
“In accordance to the historic decision made by Hon. Molana, Theji De Adwad, Governor of Ruweng State, we the remaining SPLM-IO members in Ruweng State do here support and confirm his resignation. And therefore, we declare our collective resignation from SPLM-IO,” wrote the eight members in a statement.
The group pointed out that they decided to join the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) under the leadership of President Kiir to achieve peace and stability in South Sudan.
The eight members are Francis Chol Choch, Majok Dau Kueth, Goch Minyiel, Yuhana Koch Marial, Malual Gajang Tongdiet, Wan Bul Mayom and Daniel Dongwai.
For his part, the Governor of Ruweng State, Theji Da Adwad Deng, claimed that all members of the SPLM-IO faction allied to Taban Deng in Ruweng State have tendered mass resignations and joined Kiir’s faction.
“Those members are eight, we were nine SPLM-IO members in Ruweng State, so after this defection there is no any SPLM-IO member in the state. Those members supported the decision I made as governor, so I want to confirm that there is no any IO member in the state,” he said.