Al-Wahdawi [Archives:2008/1154/Press Review]
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Top Stories
– Wheat's price decreases by 40 percent in world countries except for Yemen
– NUPO warns of shaking national stability
– JMP Higher Council organizes open sit-in protesting against arbitrary security arrests
– Up to 50 people killed, other dozens injured in two-day clashes between army and Houthis
– Qaeda claims responsibility for attacking Italian Embassy in Sana'a
– President Saleh imposes names of governors on ruling party's branches in governorates
The successive scenes of the ruling party's comical play with regard to gubernatorial elections are reflecting how big the crisis and confusion are in Yemen, the weekly reported in a front page article. It added that the ruling party's permanent committee approved a list of gubernatorial candidates, which President Ali Abdullah, also Chairman of the ruling General People Congress (GPC), made earlier. This list distributes gubernatorial posts to military and tribal personalities that are due to take jobs under the guise of formal elections.
According to the weekly's sources, the notable media rumor and momentum, invented by the ruling party and promoted by the official media outlets regarding the allegedly available actions within GPC, as well as the discussions in its regional offices to determine the final list of eligible governors to take jobs under the cover of formal elections, are merely an attempt to show the international community that there is effective democracy within the ruling party.
An official source in the ruling party confirmed that determining candidates for the potential gubernatorial election, in which the ruling party competes with itself, has to do with desires of President Saleh only, thus not considering the desires of party leaders. The party's permanent committee is merely mandated to formally approve a list of gubernatorial candidates suggested and determined by President Saleh.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, the source disclosed that Saleh faced great difficulty selecting candidates for gubernatorial posts, particularly in the governorates of Aden, Hadramout, Abyan, Lahj, Shabwa and the capital city.
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[archive-e:1154-v:18-y:2008-d:2008-05-12-p:press]
