Northern Ireland's McGuinness quits politics to recover from serious illness

Northern Ireland’s Martin McGuinness, of the Sinn Fein party, said on Thursday he was bowing out of politics and would not lead his nationalist party into elections in March.

The 66-year-old former IRA commander said illness and the current political crisis, triggered by his own resignation from the post of deputy first minister earlier this month, had led to him to step down several months earlier than he had planned.

"Last year, Gerry Adams and I confirmed that we had a plan in place for transition to a new leadership. For my part, it was my intention to step aside in May this year," McGuinness said in a statement.

"Unfortunately, my health and the current crisis have overtaken this timeframe. I am not physically able to continue in my current role and have therefore decided to make way for a new leader."

During months of crisis at the end of 2016, McGuinness missed a trade mission to China due to illness, according to the Guardian newspaper. McGuinness was reportedly suffering from amyloidosis, a rare condition which that attacks the heart, kidneys and other vital organs, as well as the central nervous system.

The 66-year-old republican veteran has been central to the peace process and power sharing. He had been deputy first minister for a decade before quitting this month in protest at First Minister Arlene Foster's handling of a controversial green-energy scheme. His resignation led to the collapse of the power-sharing government at Stormont, the seat of the Northern Ireland Assembly.

McGuinness signalled that party President Gerry Adams was also preparing to make way for a successor, Reuters news agency reported.