An Algerian opposition party, the Movement for the Society of Peace (MSP), said Wednesday President Abdelaziz Bouteflika would be unable to handle the demands of a fifth term in office, due to his ill health, according to the German news agency, dpa. “Bouteflika is not able to continue to govern because of the nature of his illness,” said the Movement’s leader Abderrazak Makri. "His candidacy for a fifth mandate is not in his interest, but in the interests of those who benefit from this situation," the MSP statement said. "They will take full responsibility for what will come," the Movement added, without elaborating. It stressed that the presidential elections are of great importance for signaling the beginning of a new stage in which personal and partisan interests are not a priority. This compels the country to avoid repeating failed experiences, said the statement. The Movement also called on the security services and the military establishment to carry out their mission in protecting the homeland from foreign interference. Meanwhile, a spokesman for retired General Ali Ghadiri said security forces prevented him from attending the funeral of former Deputy Defense Minister Major General Abdelmalek Guenaizia who passed away on Monday at the age of 83. Ghadiri, who is running for the presidential elections in April, faces fierce opposition from Army Chief of Staff Gaid Salah, a staunch supporter of Bouteflika. The head of Ghadiri’s media office, playwright and journalist Ayashi Ahmeda, told Asharq Al-Awsat that three SUVs blocked the road preventing the presidential candidate from arriving at Sidi Yahya cemetery, where Salah’s funeral was held. Ahmeda explained that a security man got out of a car and entered the office of Ghadiri telling him he is not welcome at the funeral. It is likely that Salah issued orders to security agencies to block all roads linking the cemetery with the electoral residence of Ghadiri. In his latest media statement, Ghadiri said he planned to profoundly reform the management within the military establishment if the Algerians elected him as president in April. He also announced a surprise for young people regarding the military service, which was interpreted as his inclination to abolish the military service all together. But such statements angered the army leadership, which is suspicious of Ghadiri’s alleged relations with former intelligence chief Mohamed Mohamed Madin, who was sacked in 2015 because of a bitter power struggle with Bouteflika and Salah. Ghadiri did not deny his "friendship" with Madin, but said he did not support him politically about running for election. Salah attacked Ghadiri in the army magazine’s January issue, without referring to him, warning against baseless prejudices regarding the military establishment. He also criticized those who give themselves the right to speak on behalf of the army, using all means, especially the media. The Army Chief of Staff was responding to Ghadiri’s request for the military to prevent Bouteflika from extending his mandate.