More than 12M demand Sisi to run for second term

CAIRO – 24 December 2017: “Alashan Tbneeha” (To Build It), a public campaign calling for President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi to run for a second term as the head of the state held its third press conference on Sunday to announce the total number of signatures collected.

"The campaign collected 12,132,460 valid signatures, while a total of 239,361 signed forms were null and void," announced one of the campaign’s founders, Mohamed Al-Garhy.


To Build It press conference to announce the total number of the signatures on Dec. 24, 2017 – Egypt Today/Hussein Tallal

The campaign has 168 headquarters in all Egyptian governorates and held more than 10 conferences to bring awareness of the national campaign, added Al-Garhy, indicating that the campaign made more than 200 medical convoy to areas most in need.

“Egyptian communities in more 36 states effectively participated in the campaign and demanded that Sisi heads the state for another term,” stated Al-Garhy.


To Build It press conference to announce the total number of the signatures on Dec. 24, 2017 – Egypt Today/Hussein Tallal

“It is not a petition to complete, but it is to prove our awareness of the political leadership and that we are a part of the political process in all dimensions of its work,” the Secretary-General of Future of the Nation Party Ashraf Rashad said exclusively to Egypt Today.

“The campaign’s goal is to secure and protect our homeland so it demands that President Sisi runs for the upcoming presidential elections as a second term,” added Rashad to Egypt Today.


To Build It press conference to announce the total number of the signatures on Dec. 24, 2017 – Egypt Today/Hussein Tallal

“Future of the Nation Party is devoting all its potential to the campaign and the campaign is entirely self-funded from its members,” Rashad explained.

The Egyptian woman has always been participating in all political issues in history as a part of the political process and she also effectively took part in the campaign as a sign of her awareness, Egyptian parliamentarian Mohamed Shaban said exclusively to Egypt Today.


To Build It press conference to announce the total number of the signatures on Dec. 24, 2017 – Egypt Today/Hussein Tallal

The number of signatures indicates the Egyptians’ awareness and their desire to achieve face the major challenges which threaten our state and our region, added Shaban.

"To Build It" Launched in mid-September. “The campaign is organizing this conference three months after it has been launched to update people on the campaign’s accomplishments,” campaign member Ahmed al-Khatib said at the conference.


To Build It press conference to announce the total number of the signatures on Dec. 24, 2017 – Egypt Today/Hussein Tallal

The campaign started its international tour in early December to promote Sisi’s achievements abroad, during his first term as president.


In June 2014, President Sisi came to power in the aftermath of the June 30, 2013 popular uprising which toppled former Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated President Mohammed Morsi.


To Build It press conference to announce the total number of the signatures on Dec. 24, 2017 – Egypt Today/Hussein Tallal