Former President Mohamed Nasheed has proclaimed that two separate states might result unless there were a candidate from his party, the main opposition Maldives Democratic Party (MDP).
In an interview to Raajje MV, he said that the election would not be credible if incumbent President Abdulla Yameen was running. Pointing out that similar elections in other countries have led to the formation of separate states in the past, he stated that it was likely to happen in the Maldives as well.
Nasheed went on to say that the opposition had a right to take part in the elections; otherwise, the Maldives would not be able to overcome the current political chaos.
The former president also announced that he would bring back the old parliamentary system, where once a president's term is up, the parliament would nominate the next presidential candidate and vote. In a video posted on social media, he further declared that the current system in the Maldives has badly failed.
Although he has revealed his decision to take part in the coming Presidential Elections, and has commenced his campaign via social media, his ongoing conviction to 13-years in jail on terrorism charges renders him ineligible to run, under the Maldivian Constitution.