CAIRO – The last prime minister of fallen strongman Hosni Mubarak reiterated his support Thursday for the army chief as president but also slammed the military for initially backing his candidacy openly.

Ahmad Shafik – who lost Egypt’s 2012 presidential election – endorsed Field Marshal Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who ousted the Islamist President Mohamed Morsi last July following mass street protests against his turbulent year-long rule.

Shafik narrowly lost the election that made Morsi Egypt’s first democratically elected president, and the first civilian to take the post.

A former air force commander who was recently acquitted of corruption charges, Shafik called Sisi the “strongest candidate who has the highest chances of winning the presidency.”

In a statement issued after the recording of a private conversation was leaked to the media, Shafik said he was backing Sisi because he was “convinced of the need to unify our efforts and avoid a scattering of votes which is useless.”

Sisi has made no secret of his intention to stand in the election expected this spring, but has yet to announce his candidacy officially.

Shafik left for the United Arab Emirates following his election defeat to Morsi in 2012, but his supporters have said he will return to Egypt.

Shafik has previously said he would consider standing for president, but only if Sisi did not.

On Thursday, he criticized the top brass and other institutions for initially backing Sisi openly.

He said it was “unimaginable and unacceptable” to see the “armed forces announcing support for Sisi’s candidacy… and some of their leaders shown on media announcing their allegiance and backing” for him.”

“It goes against all rules and traditions which state that the armed forces must remain aloof from the electoral process,” his statement said.

In January, the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces announced its backing for Sisi to stand for president, saying it was the people’s will that “must be heeded” by the army chief.