A South Sudan opposition minister in Northern Bahr el Ghazal State has resigned from the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-In Opposition (SPLM-IO), citing escalating political tensions just a day after the arrest of opposition leader Riek Machar.
Garang Chan Atak, the state’s Minister of Agriculture, who was appointed under the 2018 revitalized peace agreement’s power-sharing framework, submitted his resignation on Thursday.
Atak clarified that he has not yet aligned with the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) or any other signatory party to the peace agreement.
“In exercise of my constitutional and legal rights to belong to a political party of my choice and guided by law, I am officially resigning from the SPLM-IO party, as well as from my various positions within its state structure,” he stated in his resignation letter.
He further noted that he and others who resigned alongside him have yet to decide on their next political move. “The media is invited to a briefing tomorrow for further details on this resignation,” Atak added.
His resignation comes amid growing tensions between the SPLM-IO and SPLM, exacerbated by Machar’s arrest in Juba. Observers believe these developments may have influenced Atak’s decision, with concerns mounting over the safety of opposition politicians in the current volatile political climate.
