Ankara, May 23 (IANS): Turkish presidential candidate Sinan Ogan, who won third place by receiving 5.17 per cent of the votes in the first round, endorsed incumbent President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for the runoff elections slated for May 28.

"Following our internal consultations, I want to announce that I will support the presidential candidate of the People's Alliance, Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in the second round. I also call on my electors to endorse Mr. Erdogan," Ogan said at a press conference on Monday.

Ogan, a hardline nationalist who pledged to take a tougher stance against terrorism and send all migrants back to their home country, said Erdogan's alliance has the parliamentary majority and Erdogan's continued presidency is essential for maintaining the country's stability, Xinhua news agency reported.

Erdogan received 49.52 per cent of the votes in the first round on May 14 and will race against Nation Alliance's presidential candidate Kemal Kilicdaroglu, who had secured 44.88 per cent of the votes.