In the congress held Saturday, Maldives Democratic Party (MDP) made the decision to declare the party’s parliamentary leader MP Ibrahim Mohamed Solih (Ibu) as MDP’s candidate in the upcoming presidential elections.
The motion put forward by Mohamed Aslam, representative for the (north) Hithadhoo constituency and campaign manager to former president Mohamed Nasheed, stated that should the possibility open for Nasheed to contest in the September 23rd election, he would be reinstated as MDP’s presidential candidate.
Ibu was chosen as MDP’s presidential candidate by a unanimous vote among the 791 members in attendance.
Whilst debating the proposal, party representatives asserted that apart from Nasheed, Ibu was the party member most deserving of the presidential ticket. Calling him a proficient leader, they declared that Ibu was a candidate capable of working well with others.
According to several representatives, even if Ibu is handed the presidential ticket, efforts must continue towards reinstating Nasheed’s eligibility as the presidential candidate, some insisting that the 43,000 votes cast in the MDP primaries should not be put to waste.
Ibu was declared MDP’s candidate following amendments made to the party’s governing statues. Prior to the changes, party rules dictate that a presidential candidate must be elected following a secret ballot votes cast in a party primary.
However, in the event that the candidate elected in a party’s primary is deemed unable to contest in the elections, or if said candidate withdraws their candidacy for any reason, the decision will defer to the congress. The congress may then declare a candidate in his place.
The decision comes in the wake of former president Mohamed Nasheed (Anni)’s recent forfeit of the MDP Presidential ticket due to factors barring his eligibility.
Nasheed stated that his decision to abandon his presidential bid was made in answer to rising concerns that MDP may not have a candidate, if the Elections Commission continue to nullify his candidacy.
Prior to the congress, the opposition coalition have agreed to put forth a presidential candidate representing the Maldives Democratic Party (MDP) accompanied by a running mate from Jumhooree Party (JP) to contest in the upcoming elections.
Ibu, who is widely regarded as a man of political foresight, is one of the longest-serving parliamentarians in the Maldives. Since his election as representative for the Lhaviyani Atoll constituency in 1994, he has been re-elected to the parliament for five terms.
Described by many as a political leader possessing an uncanny ability to work alongside people of differing political backgrounds, Ibu has been a familiar presence on the Maldivian political arena for over 24 years.
Sign In