A SHARP row has erupted among senior members of the ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) over a recent statement made by Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif, who said that the party had no 'qualified' candidate to run for next year's presidential elections except President Hosni Mubarak. Nazif told editors of independent newspapers last week that he wished to see Mubarak run again for the top post, arguing that the NDPhad failed to produce an alternative to the Egyptian leader. Nazif's statement, carried by the pro-Government and independent papers, has drawn sharp criticism from the ruling party's seniors, who said that the party had 'many' competent candidates to run for the nation's top post should Mubarak wish not to stand for the 2011 presidential polls. "I may disagree with Mr. Nazif's statement because the NDPhas many members, who can be candidates for the 2011 because they meet all the required conditions that have been set for political parties to contest the presidency," Safwat el- Sherif, the party's Secretary-General, said. The NDP's Media Chief Ali Eddin Hilal, who sharply criticised Nazif's statement, said that he fully agreed with el- Sherif's view, saying that the Premier's statement did harm more than good to the President, the regime and the party as a whole. "The NDP has tens of candidates, who are able to run for the 2011 elections if the President did not wish to nominate himself for a new six-year term in office next year," Hilal said. However, el-Sherif said that the Egyptians looked to Mubarak as a leader of their nation and everyone was behind him. "Mubarak is a legend who cannot be replaced," el-Sherif, also the Chairman of the Shura Council (the Upper House of Egypt's Parliament), added.
