President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom on Thursday suggested a way for the opposition to secure the freedom of self exiled former president Mohamed Nasheed and ensure his candidacy in the next presidential elections slated for 2018.
Nasheed was jailed on terror charges after he was convicted and sentenced to 13 years in prison over the arbitrary detention of a sitting judge while he was president.
Nasheed now lives in self imposed exile in the UK after he was allowed to leave to Britain on medical leave in an internationally brokered deal in January last year.
The main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) leader in February had announced that he would stand for elections though the Maldives constitution bars Nasheed from being a candidate because of the 2015 terrorism conviction.
Speaking during a ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) ceremony to welcome the signing of several new members on Thursday, president Yameen asked all opposition leaders to individually request the government to find a way to free Nasheed and allow him to stand for the 2018 elections.
Highlighting that the current laws would not allow Nasheed to contest in the elections, president Yameen said that lawmakers from both the opposition and the government could find a way to amend the laws.
"If they want to free Nasheed all opposition leaders can send me a letter. President Maumoon can send me one. So can Sheikh Imran, president Nasheed and Gasim Ibrahim asking me to change the laws to free Nasheed. Then I will forward the request to our Parliamentary Group leader and find a way to get it done," he explained referring to the historic pact penned by former strongman Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, Nasheed, former government coalition partners Jumhoory Party leader Gasim Ibrahim and religiously conservative Adhaalath Party leader Sheikh Imran Abdulla.
The now united opposition leaders have recently stepped up efforts against the government which was again questioned by president Yameen on Thursday.
President Yameen questioned the motive of the opposition saying that it had repeatedly snubbed the government's invitation for dialogue.