All three presidential candidates have agreed to endorse the final voters’ list for the second attempt to hold a re-run of the presidential election, scheduled for 9 November.
Following a meeting with President Waheed at the President’s Office today, the candidates; Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) candidate Abdulla Yameen, Jumhoory Party (JP) candidate Gasim Ibrahim and Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) candidate Mohamed Nasheed, separately told the media that they agree to sign the final voters’ list.
Speaking to the media following their meeting with the president, Yameen and Gasim told the press that they had sent their representatives to sign the voters’ list this morning. Exiting the President’s Office, former president Nasheed went to the Elections Commission to sign the voters’ list himself.
Yameen and Gasim also said they will push for the second round of the election, if necessary, to be held on 10th or 11th of November. The constitutional states that the current presidential term will end on 11 November 2013.
At a press conference shortly after the meeting with the candidates, President Waheed said there is no alternative to forego the election, the election must be held and that he is pleased that all three candidates have agreed to sign the voters’ list.
He said the candidates also agreed that the only solution in the issues that might arise, if the country does not have a president elect by 11 November, is to elect a president through the vote.
The President said the government will provide every possible support for the Elections Commission to hold second round of the election before 11 November.
“We will provide support to the Elections (Commission). If there is an issue we can solve, we will solve it,” said President Waheed.