Opposition Unhappy with the New SEC [Archives:2001/48/Front Page]

At last, the representative of Islah in the newly formed Supreme Elections Committee (SEC), Mr. Abdullah al-Akwa’a, was sworn in before President Saleh last Thursday. Reliable sources disclosed that President Saleh exerted pressure on the Islah leadership to let its representative be sworn in. The sources said Saleh threatened that he would nominate another person to fill the place of Islah in the SEC.
Islah was not happy with the formation of the SEC as it was given, with only one seat instead of the two it had in the past. Islah believes its role as an influential party in the political fabric of the country is being marginalized by the ruling party (PGC), which has been represented by four people in the ESC. Of course, Sheikh Abdullah al-Amar, Islah President, conducted talks with President Saleh. He pressured the Islah leaders not to boycott the SEC. Islah policy, in addition, never believes in the boycotting of political or public associations. Political observers believe that the low representation of the opposition (Socialist Party one seat, Democratic Nasserite, PGC alliance, and Islah one seat) will be more or less marginalized and will not guarantee any fairness in the coming elections. PGC will be able to pass any decision.
Another trick PGC has pulled on the opposition is that the SEC General Secretariat (executive authority) will be run by the PGC, for President Saleh appointed Dr. Rashad al-Rasas, Deputy Minister of Legal Affairs, as Secretary General of this authority. This limits the representation of the opposition in the SEC.
Mr. Khaled al-Sharef, Minster of State, has been nominated as Chairman of the SEC, with al-Akwa’a as Vice-Chairman. Mr. Abu Mohammed al-Janadi, Democratic Nasserite Party Secretary General, has been given the post of the Chairman of Media and Culture. The rest include Dr. Abdulmumen Shuja’addin, PGC, Chairman of the Legal Sector, Dr. Mohammed al-Sayani, PGC, Planning and Technical Sector, Alawi al-Mashhur, PGC, Chairman of the Finance Department, and Salaman al-Khanbashi, Socialist, Chairman of the Secretariat & Documentation Department.

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