Egypt's ex-spy chief aims to run for president

Cairo, Apr 7 (ANI): Egypt's former spy chief Omar Suleiman has announced that he intends to be a candidate in the country's presidential elections next month.

Suleiman, who served as Hosni Mubarak's vice president before his defeat in 2011, made the announcement two days after he ruled himself out of the race.

He had said that he would keep out of the election because getting the nomination was too difficult.

Suleiman, however, changed his mind after demonstrators urged him to run, The BBC reports.

In a statement to supporters, Suleiman said he would run if he could get the 30,000 signatures needed by Saturday.

Before the Egyptian revolution, Suleiman had often been mentioned as a possible successor to Mubarak.

A close ally of the former president, Suleiman was seen as a pivotal figure in Mubarak's 30-rule rule. (ANI)