Second: Political Parties and Self-Governance: The English and Egyptian governments signed a bilateral agreement in 1953 concerning Sudan. The agreement guaranteed Sudan's right to self-determination after a transitional period during which the Sudanese would enjoy full self-governance. Parliamentary elections were held to form the first national government after the colonial period, which lasted for more than fifty-seven years. Its two main contenders were the Unionist camp, led by Ismail al-Azhari and under the patronage of the Khatmiyya leader Ali al-Mirghani, and the Independence camp, led by Abdullah Bak Khalil and patronized by the Ansar leader Abd al-Rahman al-Mahdi. The Unionists' slogan was the unity of the Nile under the Egyptian crown, while the Independence camp's slogan was complete independence.

The National Unionist Party won 51 seats, representing a majority of the parliamentary seats, while the Umma Party won 22 seats out of a total of 97 seats. The remaining seats were divided among the other parties. The result was not favorable to the British government of Sudan, and was even astonishing. Their estimates were that the Umma Party would win thirty-three constituencies, followed by the Unionists in their two branches (the Brothers and the Khatmiyya), whom they estimated would win eighteen constituencies, and then the Republican Party, which they calculated would be represented by sixteen deputies.

The first of March was set as the date for the celebration of the first parliament and the formation of the government under Azhari's premiership, and President Mohamed Naguib was invited to participate in the celebrations of that day. The famous March events followed, of which Sheikh Ali Abd al-Rahman narrated part, saying: "We went out to receive President Naguib at the airport and found ourselves in two tightly packed rows brandishing spears. Naguib had already disembarked from the plane and was coming by the route we were on, but we were all assassinated. It was either inspiration or something planned that Naguib disembarked from the plane and went by a route other than the airport route, while we were passing through..."

Ahmed Suleiman: Source cited (1) Ibid.: p. (7) Mohamed Ibrahim Al-Tahir: History of Parliamentary Elections in Sudan, Dar Al-Fikr Al-Arabi Publishing House (undated - 12) p. (1) Ahmed Suleiman: Source cited (9) Ahmed Suleiman: Source cited (10)