Ahmed Shafik pulls out of Egypt presidential race

Cairo: Ahmed Shafik, a former Egyptian prime minister, has said he will not stand for president in the country’s upcoming presidential elections, reports Al Jazeera.

The 76-year-old had previously announced his plan to run in an exclusive video message to Al Jazeera.

“I saw that I will not be the ideal person to lead the state during the coming period,” a statement posted on Shafik’s Twitter account read on Sunday. “Thus I have decided not to run in the upcoming 2018 presidential elections.” Shafik was seen as one of the few people who could potentially challenge President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in the election, scheduled to take place in March.

The New York Times quoted one of Shafik’s lawyers, who asked not to be named, as saying that the Egyptian government had forced him to withdraw by threatening to investigate previous charges of corruption against him.

 

Ahmed Shafik pulls out of Egypt presidential race

Cairo: Ahmed Shafik, a former Egyptian prime minister, has said he will not stand for president in the countrys upcoming presidential elections, reports Al Jazeera. The 76-year-old had previously announced his plan to run in an exclusive video message to Al Jazeera. I saw that I will not be the ideal person to lead the state during the coming period, a statement posted on Shafiks Twitter account read on Sunday. Thus I have decided not to run in the upcoming 2018 presidential elections. Shafik was seen as one of the few people who could potentially challenge President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in the election, scheduled to take place in March. The New York Times quoted one of Shafiks lawyers, who asked not to be named, as saying that the Egyptian government had forced him to withdraw by threatening to investigate previous charges of corruption against him.