The National Umma Party Sudan (Arabic: حزب الأمة Hizb al-Umma, translated into English as Nation Party) is an Islamic centrist political party in Sudan.
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In August 1944 Sayyid Abd al-Rahman al-Mahdi, leader of the Ansar, met with senior Congress members and tribal leaders to discuss formation of a pro-independence political party that was not associated with Mahdism. The first step taken was the launch of a new daily newspaper, al-Umma (The Community). In February 1945 the al-Umma party had been organized and the party's first secretary, Abdullah Khalil, applied for a government license. The constituion made no mention of Sayyid 'Abd al-Rahman or of the Ansar. The only visible link to 'Abd al-Rahman was the party's reliance on him for funding. However, there were rumors that al-Umma had been created by the government and aimed to place Sayyid 'Abd al-Rahman on the throne. These rumors persisted until June 1945, when the government publicly said it would not support a Mahdist monarchy.[1]
Sadiq al Mahdi was a prominent leader of the faction through much of the last century.
Today there are five active political factions of the Umma Party each claiming political legitimacy. The most prominent of these factions is the Umma Party (Reform and Renewal) headed by Mubarak al Fadil al Mahdi, who is the first cousin of Sadiq al Mahdi and former Interior Minister when the Umma Party was last in power under Sadiq as Prime Minister from 1986 to 1989. Another faction of the Umma Party (Reform and Renewal) is led by Information Minister Alzahawi Ibrahim Maalik.
Another faction of the Umma Party (General Leadership) is led by Dr. al Sadiq al Hadi al Mahdi, who is the first cousin of Sadiq al Mahdi. Dr al Sadiq is the son of Imam al Hadi al Mahdi who led a faction of the Umma Party that rivaled a faction that was led by Sadiq al Mahdi in the 1960s. Dr al Sadiq is an advisor to the President of Sudan. The Umma Party (General Leadership) is part of the current government and has agreed to continue cooperation with Sudan's ruling National Congress Party in the mid-interim period after 2008.
The last faction of the Umma Party is the Federal Umma Party, led by Ahmad Babiker Nahar, the current minister of Environment and Physical Development.
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