Algeria's Bouteflika warns of pre-poll ‘maneuvering’

By Abdul Razak bin Abdullah

ALGIERS

Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika has warned against “political maneuvering” aimed at “destabilizing the country” ahead of presidential polls slated for next spring, Algeria’s APS news agency reported on Wednesday.

Bouteflika reportedly made the remarks in an address read out on his behalf at a meeting of provincial governors.

In the statement, which was carried by APS, Bouteflika warned of “covert cells” working to “undermine the country’s stability” in the runup to next year’s presidential poll.

He did not, however, elaborate on the nature of the alleged “sleeper cells” or who he believed they were working for.

Bouteflika went on to urge provincial governors to be “vigilant” and to carry out their duties with a view to “safeguarding the sovereignty” of Algeria and the Algerian people.

The North African country is set to hold presidential polls next April or May, when Bouteflika, 81, will be either elected for a fifth term in office or replaced by a successor.

Algerian opposition figures, for their part, have called on the aging head of state -- who in 2013 was treated for a blood clot in his brain -- to refrain from contesting the election.