Figures announced on Wednesday by the Abyei Area Community Referendum Commission show that 100% of votes were cast for separation from Sudan.

Results came in from  10 out of 29 polling centers showed 13579 votes cast for secession, 0 votes for unity, and 13 spoiled ballots.

The spokesperson for the Commission Romano John announced the results from the 10 centres to journalists in Abyei town on Wednesday evening, saying the results from the other centres had not yet come because of the difficulty of transportation.

Romano stated that the number of voters who chose for South Sudan at each center were as follows:

Awolnhom – 676

Akechnhial – 920

Noong – 622

Malual Aleu – 1076

Maker Abior – 1526

Madiing Achueng – 1375

Wun Ruk – 1375

Todac – 1236

Dungop – 1749

Miokol Alei – 3024

Meanwhile, the vote has been challenged by the tribe neighboring Abyei to the north, the Misseriya, who did not participate in the poll.  Sudan’s co-chair of the Abyei Joint Oversight Committee (AJOC) distanced himself from what is taking place in the Abyei area.

Al Khair Al Faheem told Radio Tamazuj that the unilateral referendum which is being conducted in the Abyei is illegitimate. “This unilateral Abyei plebiscite contradicts the Abyei Security and Administrative Arrangements Agreement,” he stated.

He called on his southern counterpart Edward Lino to cooperate with him in order to form the Abyei Joint Administration.