[1] Following independence on 1 January 1956, Ismail al-Azhari of the National Unionist Party (NUP) became Prime Minister leading the government with the Sudanese Sovereignty Council.

[2] In November 1958, Lt. General Ibrahim Abboud with Abdallah Khalil orchestrated a military self-coup, suspending the constitution, dissolving the parliament, and establishing the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF).

The revolution began with student-led demonstrations in the city of Wad Medani, triggered by the government's decision to increase prices of basic commodities.

The coup, led by Colonel Gaafar Nimeiry began early in the morning of 25 May 1969, and by 4:00 am the key installations in the Khartoum-Bahri-Omdurman area had been occupied and leading Sudanese Army generals arrested.

Both had their respective power bases, with al-Nur being the highest-ranking officer associated with the Sudanese Communist Party, and the latter maintaining key links with civilian Arab nationalists and Nasserists.