“I am Sorry,” Outgoing Algerian President asks for Forgiveness in Passionate Plea

Image result for Abdelaziz Bouteflika

Outgoing Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika has sent out a “farewell” message to the people, in which he said he is proud of his tenure but also admitted that mistakes were made, the country’s official news agency APS has said.

“As a human prone to making mistakes, I ask you to forgive all my shortcomings,” Mr Bouteflika is quoted as saying in a message published on APS.

Related image

Mr Bouteflika stressed that while some of his actions were approved of, others were “not free of mistakes”. “I speak to you in farewell, and it is not easy to express my true, honest feelings towards you”, Mr Bouteflika said.

The president praised the Algerian youth, describing them as “ambitious” and “optimistic”. Mr Bouteflika officially announced his resignation on Tuesday following weeks of mass protests against his attempt to stand for a fifth term as president.

Related image

Algeria’s Constitutional Council has formally accepted his resignation after twenty years in power. His resignation marks the start of a transition phase. Under the constitution, a caretaker government is supposed to be in charge for 90 days, during which time presidential elections must be arranged. -BBC Africa

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *