Guinea-Bissau's new president nominates PM

0 Comment(s)Print E-mail Xinhua, February 29, 2020
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BISSAU, Feb. 29 (Xinhua) -- Guinea-Bissau's newly sworn-in president Umaro Sissoco Embalo issued a decree Friday evening nominating Nuno Gomes Na Biam, president of the Assembly of the People United-Democratic Party, as the country's prime minister.

The appointment of Nuno Gomes Na Biam is a result of consensus, said the presidential decree, without giving further details.

Biam, also the first vice president of the National People's Assembly, the parliament of the West African country, presided over the inauguration ceremony of Embalo on Thursday, instead of parliament's president Cipriano Cassama.

Biam ran as a candidate in the country's presidential elections in late 2019, but he only placed third in the first round. He then voiced his support to Embalo for the second round to compete with rival candidate Domingos Simoes Pereira.

Earlier Friday, Embalo, as president of Guinea-Bissau, dismissed the government led by Aristides Gomes in his first presidential decree after he was sworn in on Thursday, saying "Prime Minister Aristides Gomes is not in a condition to cohabit peacefully with the new president of the Republic."

However, the Gomes government said Thursday that the investiture of the president of the Republic of Guinea Bissau is "the exclusive competence of the President of the Parliament."

Soldiers loyal to Embalo were in control of the national radio and public television buildings in Bissau, the country's capital, on Friday evening, Lassana Camara, director general of Guinea-Bissau National Radio, told Xinhua.

Several public buildings in Bissau, including the Government Palace and the Palace of Justice, were also controlled by soldiers loyal to Embalo.

Embalo was sworn in on Thursday by the parliament's first vice president Biam, amid a continuing legal and political battle over the official election results.

Many party leaders as well as outgoing President Jose Mario Vaz, attended the ceremony.

According to the results published by the country's National Election Commission, Embalo as candidate of the Movement for Democratic Alternation obtained 53.5 percent of votes during the presidential election runoff held on Dec. 29, 2019.

The country's Supreme Court of Justice issued rulings requiring a check of the vote tally after rival candidate Pereira filed a lawsuit, but the dispute has not yet been resolved. Enditem

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