Gadet’s Election as South Sudan Opposition Leader Frightens His Detractors: Akol

December 25, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - Lam Akol, the leader of the National Democratic Movement (NDM) defended Peter Gadet’s election at the chairmanship of the South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA), adding that the other faction has been terrified by the support he has got.

The election of Peter Gatdet at the head of the opposition coalition last November sparked a rift between two camps within the opposition alliance one led by the incumbent chairman Gabriel Changson and the other headed by Lam Akol.

South Sudan Patriotic Movement (SSPM) spokesperson Stephen Lual Garang Monday accused Akol of building a new SSOA faction with elements from outside the coalition, warning that these actions undermine peace implementation.

But NDM leader minimized the statements of the SSPM spokesperson and dismissed the accusations, pointing out that these accusations show they are in disarray after the election of Gadet.

"They refused to admit defeat in the elections and their members are breaking away from them in recognition of the elections result," Akol told Sudan Tribune on Tuesday.

"It is this desertion that is frightening them," he stressed.

In a statement released on 1 December, Peter Gadet said he won with five votes against three for Gabriel Changson, underscoring that the vote took place after agreeing on the procedures to be followed in the election.

Asked about the IGAD’s position on the rift as they have to work with SSOA as one on the peace partners involved in the implementation of the peace agreement, he said that the regional bloc, at the moment, is adopting a wait-and-see posture.

"It says persons already nominated by SSOA to the various implementation committees and mechanisms should not be changed," he said.

"The question that cannot be avoided will be: to whom will heads of committees/mechanisms report?" Akol emphasized.

(ST)