David Yau Yau, head of the SSDF-Cobra faction, is a viable candidate to head the newly established Greater Pibor Administration and is still likely to be selected for the position, a key politician from the area told Radio Tamazuj today.

Yau Yau led a rebellion in Pibor County of Jonglei until a peace deal in early 2014, which established the Greater Pibor Administrative Area as a structure “annexed under the Presidency.”

The rebel leader had demanded the area be made into a separate state, but a final decision on that has been deferred until South Sudan has a permanent constitution.

Under the terms of the peace agreement, Greater Pibor – consisting of Pibor and most of Pochalla counties – would have its own seal, flag and emblem and would be supported by a special development fund managed by the national presidency.

Greater Pibor’s chief administrator would be nominated by the SSDM Cobra Faction and answerable directly to the South Sudanese president and not to the Jonglei governor. By protocol, he would have the same status as a state governor.

Speaking to Radio Tamazuj, politician Jody Jonglei disclosed that a consultative meeting of the SSDM-Cobra Faction is underway on the leadership issue.

Jody, the state minister of information, is one of two of the most prominent Murle politicians in the state government, the other being Deputy Governor Baba Medan.

He said that President Salva Kiir is planning to appoint the leadership of the Pibor Administration after the SSDM and the government reach agreement on the matter. For this reason, he said, the government has sent representatives for the consultations on the formation of the Area Administration.

Greater Pibor will be sub-divided into six counties, so the SSDM-Cobra faction is also deliberating who should be appointed commissioners of these new counties.

Jody had little doubt about who would be made the chairman of the Greater Pibor Administration Area, saying: “What I expect is that Yau Yau should be the person to lead because he started this movement and he knows in detail what to do for the people as a person from the area.”

This comes after Eye Radio FM in Juba reported on Monday, “Yau Yau will not head Administrative Unit,” citing remarks made by the ex-rebel leader during a radio appearance.

However, the ex-rebel was quoted only as saying, “I will do whatever is given to me by the people; I will not refuse.”

The information minister also commented that he expects people from the Greater Pibor Area to continue serving in the state government in Bor, until Pibor becomes an independent state.

He explained that he expects Jonglei State to continue providing some assistance to the new administration of Pibor. 

File photo: David Yau Yau (Al Jazeera)