Machar claims General Olony ‘voluntarily’ declined Upper Nile gubernatorial position

JUBA – South Sudan’s main armed opposition leader and the country’s First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny is claiming that General Johnson Olony Thabo who was initially nominated by the SPLM-IO for governorship of Upper Nile state had declined the gubernatorial position voluntarily.

Machar’s assertion comes a day after General Johnson Olony told Sudans Post in an interview on Friday night that he rejects the newly appointed governor of Upper Nile state Budhok Ayang Kur who was nominated in place of Olony a day before his appointment.

Olony had also issued a public statement addressed to Machar saying he won’t accept any replacement. It remains unclear when Olony changed his position on the heavily contested issue.

Speaking following the inauguration ceremony of the newly appointed Upper Nile state governor and his Warrap state counterpart Aleu Anyieny before President Salva Kiir on Saturday, Machar said Olony had voluntarily declined the position and wasn’t replaced overnight.

“I thanks General Johnson Olony Thabo who is Khartoum and who made this breakthrough possible because he voluntarily declined the position and this is for the sack of peace,” Machar said.

For his part, President Salva Kiir Mayardit  he “was happy when he got the letter from Dr. Riek Machar that he changed General Johnson Olony Thabo as his nominee for the sake of peace and security for the people of Upper Nile State.”