Leadership wrangle rocks United Sudan African Party

The United Sudan African Party (USAP) has been immersed in a bitter leadership wrangle which threaten to split the party, according to insiders.

By Benjamin Takpiny

The  United Sudan African Party (USAP) has been immersed in a bitter leadership wrangle which threaten to split the party, according to insiders.

Philip Jiben Ogal, Spokesperson for USAP faction led by Prof. Ajang Bior Duot, told The Dawn on Wednesday that the party leadership wrangle has split the party with two factions led by Joseph Malek Arop and Joseph Ojukwu Ikarak challenging the faction led by Duot.

Ogal said that prof. Ajang Bior Duot is the legitimate leader of USAP party.

He said that the Joseph Ojukwu Ikarak and Joseph Malek Arop were dismissed from the party in 2018 and 2021 for misconduct.

Ogal said dismissed Ojukwu’s claim for the chairmanship of the United Sudan African Party.

“So, Joseph Ojukwu is no longer a member of the party. Even to talk about the United Sudan African Party, it is illegal because he joined another group within the Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity (RTGONU), even he got that position through the national agenda, and he’s a part of the RTGONU. So, we want to inform the South Sudanese at large and the political parties, and all the institutions and NGOs that Joseph Ojukwu is not a member of the party, and he’s not the chairman of the party,” said Ogal.

Ogal said that Ojukwu and Malek violated article 2 and 5 of USAP, prompting the party leadership led by prof. Ajang Bior Duot to dismiss the duo from the party.

He emphasized that Prof. Ajang Bior Duot who is the Secretary General of USAP is the legitimate Acting Chairman following the demise of former party leader Joseph Ukel.

 Ogal warned Ojukwu and Malek to refrain from transacting any business in the name of the party.

 “We dont have any problem with those people. So, let them not to use the name of the party, let them go and then put another name. We don’t have any problem with them, because the legitimate chairman now is prof. Ajang Bior,” he disclosed.

Meanwhile, Joseph Malek Arop, the current Deputy Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs when contacted for comment claimed he is the legitimate chairman of USAP, adding the party is registered under his names.

“If you go to Political Parties Council office or Google online, you will find out that USAP was registered under the names of Joseph Malek Arop, so  I am the legitimate chairman, let those people provide you with documents that show that they are chairpersons of the party,” said Malek.

“It was USAP that united us with the late Joseph Ukel, and later on Ukel joined the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-in-Opposition and I remained in the party and registered it. Those who claim they dismissed me, there is nothing like that, we dismissed them because I am the chairperson and we occupy all the government seats under USAP. We are members of the peace committee. Those who claim to own the party where are their members in the national government, states and parliament under the ticket of USAP,” asked Malek.

Malek urged people not to believe the propaganda of the groups claiming to be the legitimate leaders of the party while it is registered under his names.

He said that it’s criminal to claim the ownership of the party that is legally registered by the owners.

Efforts to reach the group led by Joseph Ojukwu Ikarak were not fruitfully by press time.

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