A campaign supporting former Vice President Omar Suleiman in the upcoming presidential election has declared that the Association of Egyptian Businessmen in Europe will join the effort.
Mohamed Antar, the chairman of the association who is currently in Cairo, said Suleiman is the only candidate who can lead Egypt and restore its former standing.
Samuel Ashai, the founder of the Revolutionary Front for Supporting Omar Suleiman for President, said his campaign has allocated a post office number to receive signatures in support of Suleiman.
Mixed reports recently emerged about Suleiman’s intention to run in the election slated for 23 and 24 May. Last week, media reports quoted his campaign coordinator as saying that Suleiman had decided not to run for the post.
The campaigns supporting Suleiman’s presidency have drawn criticism from revolutionary groups opposing Suleiman for his links to the regime of former President Hosni Mubarak.
Suleiman served as the head of Egypt’s General Intelligence Services from 1993 to 29 January 2011, when soon-to-be toppled President Hosni Mubarak appointed him as vice president in response to massive protests calling for political reform. Suleiman read the famous resignation speech on behalf of Mubarak on 11 February.
Late February 2012, Emsek Feloul, a campaign which translates as catching political figures linked to the former Mubarak regime, announced it would resume its activities to target presidential hopefuls affiliated with the former president, including Suleiman, former Arab League chief Amr Moussa and former Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq.
Translated from Al-Masry Al-Youm
