Events of 1955 and Sudan's Independence Resignation of the Governor-General Sir Robert Howe, the Governor-General of Sudan, resigned at the beginning of 1955 for reasons said to be personal. Sir Knox Helm was appointed in his place as Governor-General of Sudan. The resignation of the Governor and the appointment of another were not a matter of comment by anyone, as the Governor-General, after the establishment of self-governance, had become a symbol representing the two condominium powers, not an absolute ruler exercising power as before. The self-governance constitution, in addition to the powers of the head of state in a democratic parliamentary government, left only what was related to external international affairs, unless we exclude international agreements previously concluded in which Sudan was a party.

Umma Party Statement: In the realm of national politics, the year began with a comprehensive statement from the Umma Party expressing its opinion on the current political situation in Sudan. It stated: "The Umma Party affirms, as it has affirmed before, that its aim is to establish a democratic government with a republican system based on sound and proper parliamentary life. It adheres to this system with all its might. The Umma Party will strive for a constitution that guarantees public freedoms and protects them to the widest extent." The statement then addressed the party's view on solving the problems of farmers, workers, and others. It spoke about the Nile waters and the dispute over them between Egypt and Sudan, affirming that the party would continue to fight for Sudan's right to these waters until it obtained all that it needed from them for its economic development. The statement frankly criticized the government's negligence and its allowing some foreign elements to interfere in the affairs of the army and the people to destroy our democratic parliamentary life and replace it with a military dictatorship. It held the government responsible for any negligence in this matter. In this statement, the Umma Party welcomed any clean national hand extended to it to stand by independence, regardless of any old traditional differences that do not go to the core of the great national issue.

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