Mubarak's last PM backs Sisi for Egypt's president

The candidate who lost Egypt's 2012 presidential election reiterated his support today for the army chief as president but also slammed the military for initially backing his candidacy openly.
Ahmed Shafiq -- fallen strongman Hosni Mubarak's last premier -- endorsed Field Marshal Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, whose popularity surged afer he ousted the Islamist Mohamed Morsi last July following mass street protests against his turbulent year-long rule.
Shafiq narrowly lost the election that made Morsi Egypt's first democratically elected president, and the first civilian to take the post.
A former air force commander who was recently acquitted of corruption charges, Shafiq called Sisi the "strongest candidate who has the highest chances of winning the presidency".

In a statement issued after the recording of a private conversation was leaked to the media, Shafiq said he was backing Sisi because he was "convinced of the need to unify our efforts and avoid a scattering of votes which is useless".
Since ousting Morsi, Sisi has emerged as Egypt's most popular political figure and a nationalist icon, with supporters viewing him as a tough leader who can restore stability after three years of unrest roiling the country since the fall of Mubarak in February 2011.