The SPLM-IO faction allied to South Sudan’s First Vice President Taban Deng Gai has accepted the resignation of Ruweng governor Teji Da Adwad, while denying accusations of power misuse for self-interest.

On Thursday, Governor Theji defected to Kiir’s SPLM faction and accused Taban Deng of forcefully occupying a piece of Ruweng land known as Wath Daluel and renamed it Manga.

“The accusations he labelled against the chairman of the SPLM-IO, Gen. Taban Deng Gai in his resignation letter are unfounded,” partly reads a statement issued by the SPLM-IO leadership on 24 March.

 The statement also denied the existence of a dispute over land in the area claimed to have been annexed by the First Vice president Taban Deng Gai, adding that such disputes can be addressed through the correct channels.

 The letter signed by the SPLM-IO Secretary General Dhieu Mathok also denied the allegations that the First Vice President was working against the national policies.

Photo: SPLM-IO group in Juba endorses Taban Deng as VP of South Sudan in July, 2016(Radio Tamazuj)