By Lodu William Odiya
The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-Former Detainees (SPLM-FDs) Chief Whip Isaiah Hakim Garang has rejected a document signed by senior party figures revoking his party membership, dismissing it as fraudulent.
Addressing journalists at a press conference in Juba following his reported removal from the Transitional National Legislative Assembly (TNLA), Garang declared the dismissal order invalid and accused rival leaders of attempting to hijack the faction for personal gain.
“This document is not an authentic document,” Garang stated, pointing out logistical inconsistencies in how the letter was reportedly produced.
“Comrade Madut Biar, who is a member of parliament, is not in Juba. He is in Aweil. Gier Chuang Aluong is not in Juba either; he is in Nairobi,” he added.
Garang singled out Dr Majak D’Agoot, a former Deputy Minister of Defence, as the primary architect behind the effort to oust him, labelling Dr Majak D’Agoot and Madut Biar Yel as “dark forces working against our state and our party.”
The fallout follows a decision by senior SPLM-FD figures to revoke Garang’s membership with immediate effect, citing unauthorised public statements on behalf of the group and violations of internal codes of conduct.
Rejecting his expulsion, Garang argued that the officials behind the letter lack the authority to act on behalf of the coalition, particularly during the absence of senior political leaders.
“They don’t want to join the SPLM, and they want to drive the former political detainees after they learned Honourable Deng Alor is sick in Nairobi,” Garang said, referring to the SPLM-FD chairperson. “These are opportunists in our hierarchy.”
Garang further maintained that as the top-ranking SPLM-FD official currently present in government structures, he holds primary authority within the party’s legislative caucus.
“In the executive, Deng Alor is the chair of the group… Automatically, in the parliament, I am the chief whip,” Garang insisted.
“We are not going to allow these people to blackmail our leadership, use the former political detainees for their personal interests, and push people against our government.”
He urged Agoot and Biar to step aside and form their own political organisation rather than dragging the SPLM-FDs into internal conflict.
Party leadership figures named by Garang have not yet publicly responded to his statements.