General Gatgach Nhial rejects appointment as Unity state gubernatorial advisor

JUBA – Senior South Sudan main armed opposition commander General John Jok Nhial Diet has turned down last week’s appointment by governor Nguen Manytuil as a technical advisor saying he was not consulted and has also cite that the appointment did not come from the SPLM-IO where he belongs.

Last week, Governor Nguen Manytuil appointed General Gatgach as a gubernatorial technical advisor for Unity state. It remains unclear if the SPLM-IO made the nomination of the senior opposition commander to the position.

In a statement this afternoon, General John Jock who is better known as John Gatgach Nhial said he won’t accept the position because the nomination did not come from the main armed opposition group and that he was not consulted by the appointing authority.

“I Gen John Jock Nhial, I would like to inform the SPLM/SPLA-IO members within the country and across the globe that, I have been unknowingly appointed as ‘Unity State Technical Advisor’ without my acknowledgment, however the worst part of the appointment is that, the appointment does not come from my party Sudan People Liberation Movement In Opposition but it was designed by the Incumbent Government with the ulterior motive best known to the,” he said in a statement extended to Sudans Post.

“I Gen John Jock, I would like to make it categorically clear that, I did not accept nor welcome the appointment,” he added.

“When I heard that I have been appointed by the Unity State government, I thought that it was (SPLM/A-IO) leadership that recommended and submitted my name to Unity State’s governor, Unfortunately, I have just learned very late that, the appointment was deliberately decided by (SPLM/IG) in the state with their own intention,” he revealed.

He further wondered “Which criteria that appoints the other parties members through the ticket of another part?” before adding “disregard that letter of my appointment that you might come across in social media dated 29/5/2021.”