Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir has appointed Defense Minister Awad Mohamed Ahmed Ibn Auf as the country’s first vice president.
Ibn Auf, an ex-military intelligence chief, will take office while retaining his defense portfolio, a presidential decree said on Saturday. He succeeds Gen. Bakri Hassan Saleh, a long-time ally of President Bashir.
In another decree, Bashir appointed Mohamed Tahir Ayala, the former governor of Gezira state, as the new prime minister.
The decrees came a day after the Sudanese leader imposed a one-year state of emergency across the country and dissolved his cabinet and state governments.
Bashir, who came to power in a military coup backed by Islamists in 1989, has replaced all the state governors with military generals, in a bid to quell nationwide protests calling for him to step down.
In a televised address on Friday, the 75-year-old called on parliament to postpone constitutional amendments that would allow him to run for elections in 2020.
He also called on opposition parties and armed groups for dialogue to address the country’s economic woes.
However, organizers of anti-government demonstrations vowed to press on with their protests until President Bashir resigns.
Angry citizens have taken to the streets across the country since 19 December 2018 calling for Bashir to step down. The protests started after food and fuel prices increased in the country.