Tamarod states it has collected 22,134,465 signatures Cairo – Akram Ali More than 22 million people have signed a petition in Egypt demanding the departure of Islamist President Mohammed Morsi and a snap election , the opposition Tamarod (Arabic for rebellion) group said on Saturday.
\"Our petition has gathered 22,134,465 signatures,\" Tamarod spokesman Mahmud Badr told journalists on the eve of Sunday\'s first anniversary of Morsi\'s inauguration.
This figure is higher than the number of people who voted for Morsi in last year\'s presidential election - 13.23 million, or 51.7 percent of the ballots cast.
Previously, Tamarod said 15 million people in Egypt had signed the petition demanding that the president step aside.
Morsi supporters have dismissed the petition as invalid, insisting that only elections can decide whether a head of state stays or goes. His term of office is due to end in 2016.
One of the campaign founders, Mohamed Abdel Aziz said: \"Egyptian people will continue to achieve their demands of  revolution to improve life conditions, freedom and social justice.\"
A statement added that President Morsi has \"lost his legitimacy\" and did not consider people\'s interests, but instead that of his clan, adding that he can no longer be seen as a president.
The statement added that the Tamarod Movement is committed to the \"peaceful path of the revolution\" and invited martyrs\' families and all Egyptians to participate to achieve the revolution\'s targets.
Tamarod also announced the resignation of Shura Council members including Nadia Makram Ebeid, Omar Haridy and others. Many have now joined Tamarod\'s campaign to withdraw confidence from President Morsi.