Ex-minister Binali Yıldırım not 'offended' by not being nominated AKP chairman

ANKARA

Yıldırım was shown as a potential nominee for chairman by a number of AKP members. AA Photo

Current adviser to the ruling party chair, Binali Yıldırım, has expressed his support for the nomination of Ahmet Davutoğlu for chairmanship of the party at a press conference on Aug. 22, where he also said he was not offended at not being picked as the candidate.

Regarding the up-and-coming politicians in the Justice and Development Party (AKP), Yıldırım confirmed that there are no problems between the younger and older generation politicians within the party.

“We are the founders of the party. But they [the younger party members] are our brothers and they will take over from us one day. We have never considered them as our rivals,” Yıldırım noted.

“Davutoğlu is ‘wise’ and he has had a remarkable academic career,” Yıldırım said, adding that he was pleased with the foreign minister’s nomination and wished him success in his new position.

Yıldırım said he was subjected to questions by members of the AKP regarding his opinion as his name as a potential nominee for chairman of the AKP also circulated at the party’s conference.

He noted how the AKP has 313 deputies and that all of them have the right qualifications for the post.
“We never have a row over the leadership [of the AKP],” Yıldırım said, while conveying his thanks to those party members who considered him for the position.

“Prime ministry is an honorable duty. Being a plain buckler of the party is also equally an honorable duty,” Yıldırım said, while affirming he was not “offended” by not being nominated for chairmanship of the party.