Malakal
In a statement published yesterday afternoon, the former government of Fashoda state have denounced the SPLM-IO’s choice of Budhok Ayang Kur to replace Gen. Johnson Olony as their gubernatorial nominee.
Budhok Ayang is the maternal nephew of Defence Minister Angelina Teny, and was a surprise replacement to the more controversial Gen. Johnson Olony. He was formally confirmed as Upper Nile state governor by President Kiir last week.
Speaking on behalf of the former government of Fashoda state, Major Gen. Maurice Samuel Arage wrote that the appointment of Ayang occurred against their wishes and without their consultation.
‘We were surprised by the announcement of a republican decision on Friday, 29/1/20, to appoint Budhok Ayang as governor of Upper Nile State without the knowledge and approval of the political and military leadership of the former Fashoda state’, the letter read.
‘Accordingly, the political and military leadership rejects the step taken by Dr Riek Machar and appointed Oboudouq Ayanq who does not represent the opinion of the two leaderships’, it was added.
The former leaders of Fashoda state go on further to allege that Dr Machar’s decision to replace Olony was not in keeping with the terms of the R-ARCSS. They assert that Olony was informed by Machar that he either had to go to Juba and face the SPLM government, or work according to a modified peace agreement not found in the R-ARCSS.
‘The response of the political and military leadership of the federal state of Fashoda was to reject the two options altogether through a letter signed by Lieutenant General Johnson Olong addressed to Riek Machar’, they noted.
The statement ends with the declaration that the signatories will soon declare their next moves, in what they describe as the attempt to ‘achieve the goals for which we fought and to achieve real peace and stability’.
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