Name: Karam Allah Abbas / Karamallah Abbas

Career: Former Governor of Gedarif State, 3 May 2010 to 4 May 2012.

Political Affiliation: National Congress Party’s (NCP)

Background: Having served as the state’s leader of the farmer’s union Abbas was put forward by Gedaref landowners to be the National Congress Party’s (NCP) candidate for the position of in the April 2010 elections. He won the vote and was officially assumed office on 3 May 2010.

However, two years later Abbas submitted his resignation to president Omer Hassan al-Bashir on 4 May 2012 who, according to state media, accepted it. Abbas disbanded his cabinet and Bashir appointed Al-Saw Mohamed al-Mahi as an acting governor until new elections could be held.

While governor, Abbas proved to be a concern to the NCP leadership challenging the formula by which funding is allocated to each state. His departure from office followed a bitter and public clash with Sudan’s Minister of Finance and National Economy, Ali Mahmoud Abd al-Rasool. Due to its coverage of Abbas’ dissent daily Arabic newspaper al-Tayar was banned by Khartoum.

Under Sudan’s constitution, an election to elect a permanent replacement for Abbas due to take place at the beginning of August, 60 days after he stepped down. The delay has been blamed by the National Elections Commission (NEC) on heavy rains in the area.

However, Abbas has said he may consider using his Ansar heritage to run on a National Umma Party (NUP) whenever the election does take place. According to analyst Magdi El Gizouli in the same interview Abbas "said he feared becoming a second Malik Agar, a governor at large, a stunt that obviously did not play in his favour."