BREAKING: SPLM-IO Secretary-General resigns over lack of transparency

JUBA – The SPLM-IO secretary-General Tingo Peter Regbigo has resigned from the main armed opposition group, saying Dr. Riek Machar, South Sudan’s First Vice President and SPLM-IO leader, run the movement single-handedly.

“I, the undersigned Cde Tingo Peter Regbigo Limbo have resigned from the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition the SPLM-I0 as of today Tuesday November 10″, 2020, following your lack of display of good leadership,” Tingo said in a statement extended to Sudans Post.

Tingo accused Machar of single-handedly running the movement, saying he has been with Machar throughout the seven years of war and drew that conclusion.

“I have spent seven years working along your side as Deputy Secretary for Agriculture, and Governor of Wau Federal state from (2014 -2016) and as SPLM-IO Secretary General from 2016 to November 2020,” he said.

“During these seven years working with you, you have handled the movement single-handed which led to lack of progress in the movement. During all this period, you have run the movement without transparency, specially when it comes to decision making process, and you did not respect institutional structures established by the party’s constitution,” he said.

The senior opposition official further revealed that he has informed Machar of his intention to resign over the years, buy those intensions haven’t been heard by the First Vice President.

“I have informed Your Excellency severaltimes that you needed to change the style of your leadership in leading the movement, otherwise, I will resign, but you have proved beyond doubt that you cannot reform the party system,” he said.

Tingo further assured the people of South Sudan that his resignation as the SPLM-IO Secretary-General won’t affect the implementation of the revitalized peace agreement, sayin he will serve the best interest of the people of South Sudan.

“I wauld like to assure the people of South Sudan in general and the people of Western Bahr el Ghazal State in particular that, my resignation will not derail the Revitalized peace Agreement. And that is my hope and prayers that my resignation will serve the best interest of peace in South Sudan and its people,” he said.

Tingo Peter’s resignation will serve a huge blow to the main armed opposition group, which has been struggling to resolve internal differences ranging from controversies over the implementation of the revitalized peace agreement and poor party leadership.

Earlier this year, senior opposition officials and military officers defected from Machar to join the SPLM-IG with most notable being the resignation of General James Koang Chuol, the deputy chief of staff, from the SPLM-IO to the government.