Isma'il al-Azhari, the leader of Sudan's National…

Isma'il al-Azhari, the leader of Sudan's National Unionist Party, had campaigned on the slogan "Unity of the Nile Valley."

This position had been opposed by the Ummah Party, which had the less vocal but pervasive support of British officials.

To the shock of many British officials and to the chagrin of the Ummah, which had enjoyed power in the Legislative Council for nearly six years, Azhari's NUP had won an overwhelming victory.

Although Azhari had campaigned to unite Sudan with Egypt, the realities of disturbances in southern Sudan and the responsibilities of political power and authority ultimately led him to disown his own campaign promises and to declare The Sudan an independent republic with an elected representative Parliament on January 1, 1956.

Within the year, Sudan joins the Arab League.