The SPLA-IO’s Deputy Chief of General Staff for Administration and Finance said he had defected with three other top generals to the country’s president Salva Kiir.

Lt. Gen. James Koang Chuol, an ally of opposition leader Riek Machar since 2013, defected to join the military group loyal to President Kiir.

Koang is the first high-ranking officer to abandon Machar’s SPLM-IO after the formation of the unity government. Observers say it is possible the defection could weaken the former rebel group.

 In January, Machar removed Gen. Koang from leadership of the security mechanism Joint Defence Board without clear reasons and replaced him with Lt. Gen. Gabriel Duop Lam.

  “We have resigned because the movement has deviated from its vision. We have to join the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) to implement the peace agreement,” Koang told reporters in Juba on Tuesday.

 “I want to tell the public that I am no longer a supporter of Dr. Riek Machar. We have resigned from his leadership because the officers are being neglected. Also, the recent formation of the government was not done properly,” he added.

The former rebel commander urged the people of South Sudan to remain calm, saying the ceasefire deal will be respected. “We will help the SSPDF so that the peace agreement is implemented,” he said.

Koang accused the first vice president of nepotism after his wife was appointed as minister of defense and veterans affairs in the transitional government. “When one family holds more than three positions, what does it mean? It means that you have neglected the other people,” he said.

The high-ranking officer appealed to SPLA-IO fighters to remain in their respective training camps as rival parties work together to establish a unified army.

Lt. Gen. James Koang defected together with Maj. Gen. Gatkhor Gatluak Koryom, Maj. Gen. Wang Chany Thian and Maj. Gen. Joseph Yata Erasto.

Reacting to the news, Lam Paul Gabriel, deputy spokesman of the SPLA-IO, told Radio Tamazuj that the opposition group respects the decision taken by Gen. Koang to join Kiir.

“It came as a surprise to us as SPLA-IO members because the unity government has already been formed. But we respect the decision taken by our senior generals to defect and we wish them all the best,” Lam said.

The deputy military spokesman refuted allegations that the appointment of Angelina Teny as defense minister was done through nepotism.

“There are allegations about Angelina’s appointment as defense minister, but we respect the decision taken by our commander-in-chief. I am also sure that consultations were carried out on the matter before the decision was made,” Lam said.

“Also, people should look first at individuals’ contribution in the SPLM-IO movement,” he added.