![South Sudan's main armed opposition SPLM-IO leader and First Vice President, Dr. Riek Machar Teny, speaks during the opening session of the 4th SPLM-IO National Liberation Council meeting in Juba on Thursday, 2 December 2021. [Photo by Awan Achiek/Sudans Post]](https://i0.wp.com/www.sudanspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_0307-1.jpg?resize=1024%2C512&ssl=1)
Yesterday, a meeting of the SPLM National Liberation Council (NLC) resolved to dismiss Machar who was, prior to the 2013 SPLM split, the first deputy chairman and replaced him with James Wani Igga, who was until yesterday the second deputy chairperson of the party.
The meeting, according to SPLM Secretary for Political Affairs, also resolved to removed Pagan Amum, the leader of the Real SPLM, as secretary-general and replaced him with acting secretary general Peter Lam Both.
The meeting also appointed Daniel Awet Akot and Kuol Manyang Juuk as the second and third deputies to the chairman.
In statements to the media, the SPLM-IO Director of National Committee for Information and Public Relations Puok Both Baluang who is also the acting spokesman of the first vice president said Machar remains a member of the SPLM party and warned Kiir’s faction against making decisions it said can jeopardize cooperation.
“They do not have authority to replace someone elected during the convention that is according to the SPLM constitution unless the IG is using their own constitution,” he said
“I would [like to] tell the SPLM IG to refrain from such activity that might have to jeopardize the process of the implementation of the peace agreement both Arusha and ARCISS instead they should focus on issues that can bring together the country,” he added.
What is the meaning of SPLM IO? Is it not political party? If not political party, then dissolved IO and join SPLM and there will be no power sharing because one party can’t have agreement within itself and share government.