Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Sudan’s NCP to Shortlist Five Figures as Possible Presidential Candidates in 2015
Republic of Sudan President Omar Hassan al-Bashir.
August 26, 2014 (KHARTOUM) – The ruling National Congress Party (NCP) in Sudan listed 18 requirements for the selection of its candidate for the presidency in the April 2015 elections and announced that five figures will be given the chance to seek the party’s nomination.

The criteria for nomination included strength, integrity, good moral character, being generous without extravagance, being frugal without stinginess, flexibility without weakness as well as other qualities relating to experience, abilities and academic credentials.

The head of the NCP Organizational sector Hamid Sideeg said in press statements on Tuesday that the selection of the chair of the General Convention and the party’s candidate for the presidency is done by the Leadership Council which in turn selects five people and then refers it to the Shura (Consultative) National Council which chooses and ranks three of the five in terms of preference.

Afterwards only one name is picked and tabled at the General Convention to endorse.

"In the event that the General Convention approves that person, he becomes the chair of the General Convention and a candidate for the presidency in the elections, and if there is no consensus on that person then the other two names will be presented while keeping the same ranking to pick from,” Sideeg said.

He did not say whether incumbent president Omer Hassan al-Bashir will be on the list.

In recent years, Bashir has asserted that he will not run for a new term and went on to say that he spent enough time in power and that the country needs new faces.

But later he backtracked by saying it is up to the party’s institutions to decide on the 2015 presidential candidate and that he will respect their decision.

Bashir who ruled the country since staging a military coup in 1989, faces an arrest warrant by the International Criminal Court (ICC) which has restricted his international travels and his meetings with western officials.

His health has also came into question recently after undergoing two throat surgeries in 2012 to remove a tumour and two knee replacement surgeries this year.

The 70 years old leader has also recently started delegating more of his domestic and international appearances to his 1st VP Bakri Hassan Saleh.

Some NCP figures did not rule out nominating Saleh in the 2015 elections while others insisted that Bashir is the likely candidate.

In a related issue, Sideeg said that postponing the elections is an issue that is up to the National Elections Commission (NEC). The NCP in the past has insisted that they will not allow for a constitutional vacuum and that the polls will be held on time.

(ST)

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