JUBA – South Sudan opposition politician Stephen Lual Ngor, a close ally of Vice-President Hussein Abdelbaggi, has threatened the leader of the South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA) Josephine Lagu with what he called “undesirable” consequences after she said Lual is not authorized to speak for SSOA in an official capacity. 

Rumors circulated on social media last week about a meeting between President Salva Kiir Mayardit and leaders from political organizations constituting the SSOA. According to the rumors, the SSOA leaders met to discuss a replacement for Hussein Abdelbaggi, a member of the South Sudan Patriotic Movement (SSPM), which is a member of the SSOA.

In a statement to dispel the rumors, Lual who doubles as the spokesman of SSPM told Sudans Post following the meeting that the J1 gathering, which Hussein did not attend, was not aimed at discussing a replacement for any leader within SSOA, but rather “discussed issues of the Tumaini peace initiative and elections” after the end of the extended transitional period.

However, in a statement on the comments made by Lual, Lagu, who is the leader of the People’s Democratic Movement (PDM), expressed concerns over Lual’s remarks. She said that Lual is not a spokesperson for SSOA and that he is not mandated to speak on behalf of the alliance in an official position.

“Hon. Stephen Lual is a member and a spokesperson of SSPM, which is one of the constituent members of SSOA. He is not the official spokesperson of SSOA and not duly authorized to speak for and on behalf of SSOA in an official capacity,” she said.

Lagu stated that “Any official statement of SSOA shall be officially issued under the directives of its Alliance Chairperson Hon. Josephine Lagu Yanga and the Leadership Council. The Public, media Houses, and all stakeholders who wish to acquire official information concerning SSOA are asked to contact the Chairperson, who remains Hon. Josephine Lagu Yanga, or Dr. Lam Akol Ajawin, the current Secretary General, or any Chairperson of an SSOA constituent Party who is duly delegated to act in an official manner on behalf of SSOA.”

She urged Lual “to stick to his Party role and is cautioned against misrepresentation of facts, unnecessary and illegal issuance of statements on behalf of SSOA, which is misleading to the public,” and requested the SSPM “to put Hon. Stephen Lual to order.”

But in response, visibly furious Lual questioned Lagu’s legitimacy, saying that Lagu has been the leader of SSOA for more than six months, which is based on the alliance charter of the organization, and said she should first address her own position, which he claimed she has maintained beyond her tenure. 

“First of all, I would like you not to drag me into the debate of the legitimacy of SSOA leaders because if we are to address this question, the seat of SSOA Chairpersonship should have been subjected to elections after six months in accordance with the SSOA Charter,” Lual told Sudans Post.

“But since we decided to allow things to go loose due to the prevailing circumstances, we don’t see it logical for the Honourable Minister and a leader of one of the parties forming the SSOA alliance to talk about what position is legitimate or not,” he added.

He said that Lagu’s dismissal of his statement that the meeting with President Kiir did not discuss any replacement efforts means that there was indeed discussion about the possibility of replacing SSOA leaders, and then threatened undesirable consequences if such rhetoric continues.

“Since you are refuting the response made to the media dispelling the ongoing allegation about the topic of the discussion between the SSOA leaders who met with H.E. the President a few days ago, are you confirming that what was circulating in the media is correct? That you went to discuss the change of SSOA leaders who were not present in the meeting?” he asked. 

“I am not interested in open media warfare with you. My only interest was to calm the situation, but if there are issues to be addressed, then let us use the alliance’s channels of communication or else the outcome will be undesirable,” he concluded. Sudans Post