Vacancy of the Office of the First Vice President before Elections 68 Should the office of the First Vice President fall vacant prior to elections, it shall be filled by the nominee of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement within two weeks of the occurrence of that vacancy. Interim Provisions for Tenure of Office of the President and the First Vice President 69 (1) Should the outcome of the referendum on self-determination confirm unity, the President of the Republic and the First Vice President shall complete the tenure of their offices. (2) In the event of a vote for secession by the people of Southern Sudan, the President of the Republic shall continue in office if he/her is from the North; however, if the President is from the South he/she shall be deemed to have resigned and the First Vice President shall assume the office of the President of the Republic to complete the tenure to the next elections. CHAPTER IV THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF MINISTERS Composition and Competences of the National Council of Ministers 70 (1) The President of the Republic shall, after consultation within the Presidency, appoint the National Council of Ministers. (2) The President of the Republic and the two Vice Presidents shall be members of the National Council of Ministers. (3) Without prejudice to the powers vested in the President of the Republic and the Presidency under this Constitution, decisions of the Council of Ministers shall prevail over all other executive decisions. (4) The National Council of Ministers shall be the national executive authority in the State in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution and the law; its decisions shall be adopted by consensus or by simple majority. (5) There shall be national State ministers appointed by the President of the Republic, after consultation within the Presidency; they shall assist the national ministers and may act in their absence. 26