Sudan’ ruling party denies early elections

Sudan’s ruling National Congress Party denied Tuesday calling for early elections in the country and reiterated that it is sticking to maintain the president of the republic and the parliament until the end of the term of their mandate. The NCP was reacting to statements made by presidential advisor Mustafa Osman Ismail who stated last week that his party is willing to hold new elections if the opposition parties accept the proposal. The Sudanese opposition already rejected the idea saying basic rights freedoms should be restored before such elections aiming to reinstall the NCP for more five years and renew its legitimacy. NCP Political officer Hassabo Mohamed Abdel-Rahman told reporters that basher will remains in office as leader of the ruling party until 2015, stressing that the proposal made by Mustafa Osman Ismail is a personal point of view and does not represents the position of the party. "It is too early to speak about it now," said Hassabo alluding to Mustafa’s statements about the anticipated elections. Following the independence of South Sudan last July and the end of a coalition government between the NCP and SPLM, oppositions parties demanded to form a large government and to hold a national conference to settle the conflicts of Blue Nile , Darfur, and South Kordofan and too adopt a new constitution. However the NCP rejected these demands and called on the largest opposition parties — Uma of Sadiq al-Mahdi and DUP of Mohamed Osman al-Mirghani — to join the government. President Omer Hassan al-Bashir also said committed to adopt an Islamic constitution. The political official said disclosed that a national constitutional committee will be announced next week to prepare a permanent constitution agreed by the all political forces. He also said his party is currently engaging dialogue with the different political parties to reach a consensus on the form of the new constitution. He stressed that once a compromise is reached on the national principles, the constitution will determine how to govern the country.