Saadani: Bouteflika will officially run for office

Secretary General of Algeria’s National Liberation Front (FLN) Amar Saadani said President Abdelaziz Bouteflika is an official candidate for the presidential elections due to be held in April.

“We officially announce that President Abdelaziz Bouteflika is an official candidate for the presidential elections. It is up to him to announce that and when application forms will be withdrawn,” Saadani told members of the party at its headoffice in Algiers.

He refused to reveal sources behind those information, saying he is the FLN’s Secretary General and he will not unveil the source.

“Many are expecting that the FLN would give its opinion about the elections although it made a final decision in previous official meetings. To eliminate any doubts, I say it once again: Bouteflika is the party’s candidate and it is official,” he said.

All it seems that Saadani has no idea about President Bouteflika’s intention about the fourth term. He gave an instruction to the FLN’s representatives to start collecting signatures for the president after he officially announces that he will run for office.

Saadani also said the creation of the Vice-President position does not need a constitutional amendment as it can be decided by the president.