The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO) has accused Unity State Governor Dr. Joseph Monytuil of running the state’s affairs alone and sacking opposition officials without consultations.
This came after Governor Monytuil in a gubernatorial order on Tuesday suspended the SPLM-IO nominated commissioner of Panyijiar County, Gabriel Majiok Bol, without giving any reason.
William Gai Riak, the secretary general of the SPLM-IO in Unity State, on Thursday told Radio Tamazuj that the governor has been suspending opposition officials since the formation of the state government which he said is a violation of the peace agreement.
“It is important to bring it to the attention of the principals in the Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity that the governor of Unity State has been violating the agreement,” he said. “Despite all the directives from the presidency to the governors and their deputies to work collectively and make collegial decisions when presiding over the affairs of the state.”
He added that the governor has been suspending all the officials from oppositions who hold ministerial, County Commissionership positions as well as executive directors.
Gai also revealed that Dr. Monytuil has suspended cabinet and security meetings meant to discuss and design solutions to tackle insecurity and political crisis in the state.
“The SPLM-IO, as part of the Unity State government, has been engaging the governor through the deputy governor and sometimes via the SPLM-IO committee, in search of sustainable solutions to the political crisis in the state but all these efforts were in vain due to the lack of collegial understanding and lack of the political will by the governor,” he charged.
Gai further said that Governor Monytuil does not respect the local administrative positions allocated to the SPLM-IO which was agreed upon.
“The commissioners of Koch and Mayendit counties have been on the offensive without being held accountable for violations since they jointly captured the SPLA-IO cantonment site in Mirmir, killed a good number of civilians, and displaced thousands of people in Southern Unity,” Gai said. “Finally, the governor on Monday suspended the Panyijiar County commissioner on baseless allegations and he instructed the deputy governor to direct the suspended commissioner to report to the state headquarters while the latter was attending a peace workshop in Rumbek, Lakes State.”
Meanwhile, the SPLM interim secretary general in Unity State, Samaan Chuoryier Koryom, on Thursday said the governor has the power to suspend any official in the state.
“Concerning the suspension of constitutional post holders, it is only the president who appoints and relieves through recommendation from the particular state governor,” Koryom explained. “However. It is also the mandate of the governor to suspend any constitutional post holder for gross misconduct that may lead into a crisis such as one of the Panyijiar County commissioner and others.”