Contested Claims of a Virtual Meeting
The online portal Sixty-Four Tribes Press alleged that SSPM leader Dr. Costello Garang Riiny, former governor Tong Akeen Ngor and army chief Gen. Santino Deng Wol held a Google Meet endorsing Vice-President Dr. Benjamin Bol Mel Kuol as President Kiir’s successor.
The report warned the Aweil community might rebel if their demand was ignored, intensifying chatter inside cafes and WhatsApp groups across Juba.
SSPM’s Firm Denial
SSPM spokesperson David Lawrence Lual described the story as baseless propaganda designed to stain the party’s credibility, insisting no physical or virtual meeting ever occurred with the personalities cited.
He stressed that Dr. Costello remains focused on delivering the 2018 Revitalized Peace Agreement, not engineering leadership changes inside another movement.
Respect for SPLM Internal Processes
Lual noted that succession deliberations are strictly an SPLM prerogative and that partners, including SSPM, respect the final word of President Kiir and his party.
By distancing itself, SSPM sought to reassure other signatories of its commitment to unity, echoing the coalition spirit embodied by the South Sudan Opposition Alliance.
Why the Succession Question Matters
Political analysts say speculation rose after President Kiir elevated Dr. Bol Mel to First Deputy Chairperson of SPLM last May, a move some interpreted as succession grooming.
SPLM officials publicly downplayed that reading, yet the debate reflects broader anxieties over stability as the country approaches another transitional milestone in 2026.
Media Ethics Under Scrutiny
Observers urge newsrooms to verify sources before amplifying sensitive claims, warning that unsubstantiated reports can inflame communal tensions in a nation still healing from conflict.
Sixty-Four Tribes Press has yet to publish supporting evidence, and its editors did not respond to requests for comment by press time.