July 1, 2020 (Nyamilepedia) – South Sudan President Salva Kiir Mayardit has demanded that SPLM-IO leader and First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny replace SPLM-IO nominee for Upper Nile state governor Johnson Olony with a Nuer politician, according to a senior SPLM-IO official.
In a meeting at the presidency on Tuesday – the official said – Kiir informed the SPLM-IO that Olony do not fit in the position and that he would cause more harm to the unity of the people of the oil-rich state because he has a bad record there.
“The president is demanding that the SPLM-IO appoint a Nuer official instead of a Shilluk. He said Olony has a bad record in Upper Nile state and said that the people of Upper Nile state do not want him and his appointment will bring more harm to the security situation there,” the official told Nyamilepedia on condition of anonymity.
Another senior opposition official was also quoted by the South Sudan News Now saying that the president also gave a condition for Olony’s appointment as governor saying if the SPLM-IO continues to appoint him, he will create an administrative area for the Apadang community.
“When we go to meet president Kiir yesterday, the president demanded that if we were to appoint Olony, the Apadang community must be given an administrative area as it happened for the people in Ruweng from Unity state,” the unnamed official said.
