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Martin McGuinness announces he will not stand in Northern Ireland Assembly elections due to ill health Martin McGuinness announces he will not stand in Northern Ireland Assembly elections due to ill health
(35 minutes later)
Martin McGuinness has announced he is stepping down from frontline politics and will not stand in the Northern Ireland Assembly election due to ill health. Martin McGuinness has announced he is stepping down from frontline politics and will not stand for election to the Northern Ireland Assembly in March, due to ill health.
He resigned as deputy first minister last week following a row between his party Sinn Féin and the Democratic Unionist Party over a botched green energy scheme. He resigned as Deputy First Minister last week following a row between his party Sinn Féin and the Democratic Unionist Party over a botched green energy scheme.
The 66-year-old has been unwell for a number of weeks and cited his illness as a factor in his decision. The 66-year-old has been unwell for a number of weeks and cited his illness as a factor in his decision. 
Details of his condition have not been disclosed by the party however, Irish broadcaster RTÉ has reported he is suffering from a rare heart condition.  Details of his condition have not been disclosed by the party. However, Irish broadcaster RTÉ has reported he is suffering from a rare heart condition. 
"The question I ask myself is: Are you capable, are you physically capable, of fighting this election with the intensity that elections need to be fought?," he told the BBC."The question I ask myself is: Are you capable, are you physically capable, of fighting this election with the intensity that elections need to be fought?," he told the BBC.
"And the honest answer is that I am not physically capable or able to fight this election, so I will not be a candidate.""And the honest answer is that I am not physically capable or able to fight this election, so I will not be a candidate."
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