Abdel Hafiz Ghoga, vice-president and spokesman of Libya’s National Transitional Council (NTC) has resigned following protests against the new government in Benghazi.

“My resignation is for the benefit of the nation and is required at this stage. I do not want this atmosphere to continue and negatively affect the NTC and its performance,” said Ghoga to the Doha-based Al-Jazeera news station.

On 21 January, demonstrators gathered at NTC offices in Benghazi, which became the focal point of the uprising against the Gaddafi regime in March 2011 (MEED 20:1:12).

The protesters demanded the government’s resignation, saying there was no transparency in its formation, before forcing their way into the building, ransacking and destroying the NTC’s local headquarters. Benghazi’s mayor, Saleh el-Ghazal, also resigned following the protests.