Sudan President Omar al Bashir intends to  to step down in 2015.

In an interview published in several Sudanese dailies on Wednesday, Omar al-Bashir says the people of Sudan need “fresh blood and a new impetus to continue their march.” The next presidential election is due in 2015.

He said the new leader will be named at NCP’s general convention next year.

The 68 year old was quoted as saying ;

“Elections will be held in two years and this gives them sufficient time to choose their candidate, God willing,” he said.

“It is not about who will be the candidate, it is rather about how the NCP selects its coming leader,” he said, ruling out any possibility that the party would nominate him again for the top job.

“No, we [have] had enough. We spent more than 20 years [as president] and this is more than enough. Sudanese people are looking for fresh blood and a new impetus in order to continue on what we have begun,” he said,

Al-Bashir seized power in a 1989 coup that toppled an elected government. He was last elected in 2010, a year before Sudan’s southern region seceded.

Al-Bashir had in the past declared his intention to step down but his National Congress Party insisted he continued in office. However, the party said on Wednesday it was considering another candidate.

By UP