Former Egyptian premier Ahmed Shafik says he is still considering his presidential bid now that he is in Egypt, according to a televised interview in which he denied authorities had kidnapped him.
There has been no official word yet on the whereabouts of the presidential hopeful who flew home from the United Arab Emirates 24 hours ago.
"Today I am here in the country, so I think I am free to deliberate further on the issue, to explore and go down and talk to people in the street ... so there's a chance now to investigate more and see exactly what is needed ... to feel out if this is the logical choice," Shafik said.
The interview on private Dream TV channel was Shafik's first public appearance since leaving the United Arab Emirates on Saturday for Cairo.
His family said he was "kidnapped" and sources said he had been picked up by Egyptian officials at Cairo airport.
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Ahmed Shafiq, a career air force officer who served as the last prime minister under ousted ruler Hosni Mubarak, flew to Cairo from the Emirates Saturday night, ending more than five years of exile in the Gulf Arab nation.
Egypt's presidential elections are due to be held around March or April next year. The incumbent, general-turned-president Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, is virtually certain to run, but has yet to make an official announcement.
Predictably, the pro-el-Sissi media has already begun to demonise Shafiq, claiming he has forged a secret alliance with the Brotherhood, which has since Morsi's ouster been outlawed and designated a terrorist group. He has also been accused of "destabilising" Egypt.
