Polls are the only way to power, Presidnt Saleh

By Nasser Arrabyee/17/02/2011

The Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh has said the only road to power is the polls not coups and chaos.

“I am not sticking to the power; power is available to anyone, but through ballot boxes,” he said while meeting tribal leaders from Hajja province.

"The time of coups and chaos is over. Whoever wants to take the power, should take it through the ballot boxes, not through chaos in streets,” he further explained.

Inspired and emboldened by what happened in Tunisia and Egypt, hundreds of young people from schools and universities over the last few weeks have been taking to streets in Sana’a and Taiz demanding the ouster of President Saleh.

On his part, President Saleh has been holding meetings with the most influential tribal and religious leaders during the day time, while holding meetings with senior State officials including security and military officials in the evening for the sixth straight day.