UDF Leader Says Salva Kiir Can't Win Presidency of Sudan

(Khartoum-Sudan Radio Service) - The chairman of the United Democratic Front party (UDF) says he will not support SPLM chairman Salva Kiir's bid to be President of the Republic in next year's elections.

Speaking to Sudan Radio Service in Khartoum on Monday, Peter Abdul Rahman Sule said he believes Mr. Kiir cannot be elected President because Mr. Kiir is not popular in northern Sudan.

However, Mr. Sule said he believes that Kiir can win the Presidency of Southern Sudan if he contests for it.

[Peter Sule]: "It will be very necessary for him to stand as a leader in the south so that he can succeed hands down and probably he gives us a lot of hope that the leadership of the SPLM will continue and there will be continuity to it and therefore there will be assurances that a situation in the south for the betterment of the south. But if he stands in the north here, to me, if I were an SPLM man, honestly I would not advise him to stand, contesting the Presidency of the Sudan. I would instead say let him stand in the south, let him contest with anybody in the south who wants to stand for the Presidency of the GOSS. In that case, I would give him my full backing honestly."

Mr. Sule claims Popular Congress Party leader Dr. Hassan Al-Turabi is only backing Mr. Kiir for the Presidency of Sudan because Al-Turabi believes he can easily beat Kiir during the elections.