Speaker of Jonglei State Transitional Assembly, Amer Ateny Alier during the launch of SPLM-IO State Secretarial in Bor in December. [Photo: Awan Achiek/Dawn Newspaper).

SPLM-IO lawmakers in Jonglei have withdrawn from the state legislative assembly over the revocation of the nomination of speaker Amer Ateny in January.

Amer was dismissed by President Salva Kiir in January on the recommendation of Jonglei State Governor Denya Jock Chagor.

The SPLM-IO leadership in Juba had also protested the removal of the state parliamentary speaker, saying the party was not consulted.

Acting Press Secretary in the Office of the First Vice President had on January 6^th said the dismissal of Amer Ateny was a violation of the 2018 peace agreement.

Puok Both Baluang described the removal of Amer as procedural and risked jeopardizing the peace implementation.

He added that there was a need for the parties to respect and adhere to the spirit of the agreement, in accordance with the power-sharing ratios.

Reacting to the speaker’s removal, SPLM-IO lawmakers at the state legislature said they have decided to boycott the August House unless she is reinstated.

“We are concerned about the speaker’s removal for two reasons, one of that reasons is that in the peace agreement, it is stipulated very well that each and every party will have the responsibility for the removal and replacement of any representative of that party,” said Abel Nyout, the SPLM-IO Chief whip in Jonglei.

“The reason why we do not want the assembly to be open is that it is written in the parliament business conduct that if there is no speaker active to delegate any power to anyone, the business of the parliament cannot be done.”

However, Nyuot said, they are committed to the implementation of the peace agreement.

“This boycotting of the reopening of the assembly has no effect on the peace agreement, we the SPLM-IO in the parliament have retreated our commitment to the implementation of the peace agreement.”

“I can tell the public that we do not have any problem when our speaker is brought back, we will go back to normal business in the assembly and if he is not done then we will stay out until the issue of the speaker is resolved.”