 Prime Minister, 27 July, 1966 - 18 May, 1967 Prime Minister, 6 May, 1986 - 30 Jun, 1989 Sadiq Al-Mahdi - Born in 1935, in Omdurman, he is a Sudanese political leader. Did his college education at Comboni College in Khartoum, then studied Economics at the University of Khartoum, and then continued his graduate studies at Oxford University, England (1957). He came into the political limelight in 1964, when he played a significant role in the wide public discussions that led and accompanied the October 1964 popular up rise. After restoration of democracy in 1964 he became Chairman of the Umma Party. He won a seat in the parliament and in 1966, at the age of 31, he became Sudan's youngest elected Prime Minister, but his government was overthrown after 9 months by a vote of confidence in the wake of an intraparty conflict. He was detained for several years and forced into exile by Numeiry's regime, until 1985. He was again elected Prime Minister of Sudan in 1986, but due to the deterioration and state of resignation of the economy caused by the administration mismanagement, coupled with the bloody war in the South of Sudan, he was toppled in a bloodless military coup of Omer Hassan Al-Bashier. He was immediately kept under house arrest until his dramatic escape to Eriteria in 1996. He is currently leading the Sudanese opposition in exile. |