On 23 January 1996, presidential and parliamentary elections were scheduled simultaneously for March. Due to logistical problems, voting was to be held over a two-week period. Of the new National Assembly's 400 members, 125 had previously been chosen by a national conference in February. Some 900 candidates vied for the remaining 275 seats, although 51 of these were uncontested. In the presidential race, there were 40 challengers to the incumbent Head of State, Lt-Gen. Omar Hassan Ahmed al-Bashir, who had taken power in 1989. All candidates ran in an individual capacity. The campaign lasted 12 days. Opposition groups urged a boycott of the polling, deeming the proceedings unfair.

Due to the civil war in the southern part of the country, where the rebel Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) battled government forces, no voting took place in 11 districts. According to final results in the remaining constituencies, President al-Bashir and his supporters scored clear victories. On 23 March, the President declared that Sudan would continue to be guided by Islamic orientation, with no return to party politics, during his new five-year term.

The newly elected Parliament first met on 1 April, when Mr. Al-Turabi was elected Speaker. He announced that the National Assembly would shortly draft a new permanent Constitution. On 21 April, a new Cabinet was formed.