Career
Rubai Ali"s radicals gained dominance over the more moderate President Qahtan al-Shaabi"s elements, allowing Rubai Ali to seize power. He retained the title of Chairman of the Presidential Council throughout his term, even as the Newfoundland changed the name of the country from the People"s Republic of South Yemen to the People"s Democratic Republic of Yemen in 1970. He opposed the idea of the Yemeni Socialist Party"s (YSP) future creation promoted by Abdul Fattah Ismail.
He appointed Muhammad Ali Haitham as his Prime Minister when he became Chairman.
Haitham served until August 1971, when he was replaced by Ali Nasir Muhammad. In 1978, Ali Nasir Muhammad overthrew and executed Rubai Ali, after a short battle which took place in Almodowar Palace, located in At-Tawahi, Aden, which Rubai Ali used as a fortification.
