Presidential hopeful Ahmed Shafiq said Wednesday he would appeal a parliamentary amendment to the political rights law, which if approved by Egypt’s military rulers would disqualify him from running for president.
In an interview on privately owned Mehwar satellite TV channel, the former civil aviation minister and former prime minister said he believes he would win the case.
He also addressed his role during the 18-day uprising against former President Hosni Mubarak early last year, saying that he believes in the revolution but that revolutionaries are now staying at home.
“I, along with Major General Omar Suleiman, proposed that Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi should take over, although he didn’t welcome the idea of taking responsibility from Mubarak,” Shafiq said, adding that Tantawi later accepted after consulting with other leaders from the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces.
Shafiq also said he never called Mubarak his role model, and that it was his father he looked up to. However, in a previous interview on privately owned Al-Hayat satellite channel, Shafiq described Mubarak as exactly that.
In his interview yesterday on Mehwar channel, Shafiq said he began to admire Mubarak two years ago for his ability to separate his personal and work relations. He also denied playing golf with Mubarak, claiming he doesn’t know how to play, and said he did not have any sort of kinship with the deposed leader.
He added that as president, he would deal with Mubarak according to the law and judicial rulings. He said any question of pardoning him would be decided legally
Shafiq also said he was the one who sent suspects to trial for the 25 January uprising’s infamous Battle of the Camel, and that he was not behind the fighting as is rumored. He said during the 18 days, the people were calling for him to be named prime minister.
None of the perpetrators of violent incidents at Mohamed Mahmoud Street, Qasr al-Aini Street, the Israeli Embassy or the Maspero state television building were sent to trial, indicating a reluctance by officials to enforce the law, he said, referring to the cabinet.
Shafiq objected to the idea that the People’s Assembly would be responsible for writing the new constitution.
He also added that he is upset Suleiman was excluded from the presidential race, but that the remaining candidates will benefit from the disqualification of 10 competitors.
Shafiq accused fellow presidential candidate Amr Moussa of being supported by Mubarak for 20 years when Moussa served as foreign minister and then chief of the Arab League.
He also mentioned that he discussed his potential presidential run with Tantawi, but “as a friend and not as the leader of the country.”
This article is an edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
