Wyclef Jean Officially Pulls Out Bid For Haiti Presidency, Releases Statement

NEWS

» by Danielle Canada August 21, 2010, 9:41am

Wyclef Jean has officially pulled out of the race to be the President of Haiti.

As previously reported, news broke Friday that Clef had been denied a bid for Presidency because of residency issues.

The Haitian government requires that candidates live in the country for a minimum of 5 years before running.

Clef, a roving ambassador for the country is a legal resident of the U.S. and resides in New Jersey.

Haiti's electoral commission approved 19 candidates and rejected 15, including Jean.

While not admitting that Wyclef's bid for Presidnecy was denied due to residency issues,  the board instead approved two leading presidential candidates, former Prime Minister Jacques-Edouard Alexis and Yvon Neptune.

Speaking out on his shattered dreams of helping his country, Clef has released a statement to The HuffingtonPost saying,

It is with a heavy heart that I tell you today that the board of elections in Haiti has disqualified me from my run for the presidency of the country. Though I disagree with the ruling, I respectfully accept the committee's final decision, and I urge my supporters to do the same. We must all honor the memories of those we've lost--whether in the earthquake, or at anytime--by responding peacefully and responsibly to this disappointment…

"I want to assure my countrymen that I will continue to work for Haiti's renewal; though the board has determined that I am not a resident of Haiti, home is where the heart is--and my heart has and will always be in Haiti. This ruling just tells me that I can't officially seek the office of president. More importantly, there is no one who can tell me to stop my work in Haiti, and there is no one who could. I think of my daughter, Angelina, and it makes me want to redouble my efforts to help give all the children in Haiti better days…

Rest assured, this isn't the end of my efforts to help improve my beloved country but only marks a new beginning.

Signed, Wyclef Jean"

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