Election Aspirants Must Win Internal Primaries to Secure Party Ticket: SPLM SG

By Awan Achiek

The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) announced on Saturday that all party members seeking to contest in the upcoming December general elections will first have to go through internal democratic processes and win party primaries before receiving the SPLM ticket.

Dr. Akol Paul Kordit, the SPLM General Secretary, announced that nominations for party members seeking various elective positions will open from October 5 to 9, 2026.

“From the 5th of October to the 9th of October, the SPLM General Secretariat shall open nominations for SPLM cadres, leaders, and members who would like to participate in the general election,” Akol said during a press conference on Saturday.

Akol stressed that the nomination exercise is an internal process and should not be confused with the national elections organized by the National Elections Commission.

“This process that we are beginning on Monday is not the general election in the country. It is an exercise of intra-party democracy within the SPLM.”

Akol stated that nomination forms will be available at the SPLM national secretariat for members seeking to contest seats in the national parliament, state governorships, and positions of chief administrators in the three administrative areas.

“SPLM is preparing itself as a political party to contest in the general election. It’s common practice and a worldwide tradition for political parties to prepare themselves by engaging in internal democracy,” he said.

“Exercising internal democracy to prepare their candidates who will then contest with other parties in the general election. So this is an internal democracy within the SPLM.”

He disclosed that 204 national parliamentary seats will be contested nationwide, while forms for state parliamentary positions will be made available at state party headquarters and the headquarters of the administrative areas.

“The movement will also begin this week to send similar forms to the state headquarters and administrative area headquarters,” he said.

The party’s SG said nomination fees will apply and will be non-refundable, with the exact amounts to be communicated when aspirants collect their forms.

“For the state parliament, we’ve got 58 seats to be contested, which means every state has 58 seats to be contested,” he said.

“Ten states amount to 580 seats. For the state parliamentary seats, all members of the SPLM shall pick their forms in their respective state headquarters and three administrative area headquarters.”

He added that party members will also be required to meet eligibility requirements, including SPLM membership and other criteria relating to qualifications and experience.

“There are also criteria and guidelines that are internal rules of the party for eligibility because you also have to meet certain criteria. One thing that is known by everybody is that you must be a member of the SPLM, of course.”