CAIRO: Members of Al-Wafd Party's general assembly elected Friday a new higher committee, which will serve a four-year term, in what were dubbed "free and fair" elections. Candidates on the rosters of both incumbent chairman Al-Sayed Al-Badawy and former head Mahmoud Abaza share the 50-seat committee. A total of 26 candidates on Abaza's list and the majority of Al-Badawy's list, mostly prominent party leaders, won. "Although we were in different rosters, all candidates who won were chosen by the general assembly based on Al-Wafd's general principles and will work on enabling the party to win a majority in the next legislative elections as well as form or participate in forming the next government," said Mohamed Sarhan, member of the higher committee. From the former higher committee, 29 members kept their seats including the party's spokesperson Mohamed Sherdy, general secretary Fouad Badrawy — both on Al-Badawy's list — as well as Essam Sheha, Abdel Aziz Al-Nahas and Sarhan from Abaza's list. The 21 new members include former MPs Mostafa Al-Gendy, Alaa Abdel Moneim and 1980s football star Taher Abu Zeid. A total of 1,258 members selected from between 191 candidates, the biggest number in the history of the party's internal elections, under the supervision of prominent political figures. During the vote counting, head of the monitoring committee and constitutional expert Ibrahim Darwish left for "health problems," sparking anger of members before Al-Badawy ordered the counting to continue. "The elections were democratic and fair; we will now work united in this critical period since Al-Wafd is the strongest party on the street now," Sarhan said. The party's committees in governorates are set to hold elections to choose new leaders ahead of the elections. Al-Nahas said he will propose amendments to the party's bylaws, de-centralize the party, choose members in the secretariat who are dedicated to political work and provide financial as well as technical support to committees in governorates. He will also work on establishing an agency at the party that provides training for new members in governorates ahead of fielding them in elections. Al-Badawy said after the results were announced that he will suggest a candidate for the next presidential elections from outside the party to the committee but will abide by whatever decision they take. Al-Wafd's shadow government, headed by chairman's assistant Ali Al-Selamy, resigned following the elections to allow the new higher committee to form a new one.
