A court in Sudan has acquitted the head of the former ruling party Ibrahim Gandour alongside 13 politicians for plotting to disrupt the transition to civilian rule before it was derailed by a coup in October.
Ibrahim Gandour is the head of the former ruling National Congress Party (NCP). During the brief changeover, they were accused of disrupting constitutional order and sponsoring terrorists.
All are tied to previous President Omar al-regime, Bashir’s which was deposed three years ago. The NCP saw the acquittal as an opportunity to relaunch its political career, according to the party.
It is pertinent to mention that the National Congress Party was a major political party that dominated domestic politics in Sudan from its foundation until the Sudanese Revolution. After the split of the National Islamic Front (NIF), the party was divided into two parties.
Recall that Gandour was re-arrested in November 2021 hours after he was released from jail. The Head of the former ruling party in the country also staged a ‘hunger-strike’ in prison to protest his incarceration.
He was also arrested in June 2020 for allegedly planning sabotage operations against the government of prime minister Abdalla Hamdok.
Ibrahim Ghandour was the Foreign Minister of Sudan from 9 June 2015 to 19 April 2018 and the former head of the ruling National Congress Party. Ghandour, whose background is in academia as opposed to the military, was chosen as part of an attempt by the Sudanese government to boost ties with the United States.