Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP)’s chairperson has said that the party will continue work to free its leader, former President Mohamed Nasheed.
Hassan Latheef said this on RaajjeTV’s Fala Surukhee programme on Sunday night, where he emphasized that Nasheed is still the party’s presidential candidate.
MDP had, at its third national congress on Saturday, passed a resolution electing parliamentary group leader Ibrahim Mohamed Solih as its candidate for September’s election. A clause in the resolution states that Nasheed will be allowed to contest if possible “even if at the last minute”.
The resolution was proposed and approved following Nasheed’s withdrawal from the presidential race despite having won the party ticket with over 46,000 votes in its primary. However, the Elections Commission maintains that Nasheed will not be allowed to contest, citing his 2015 conviction on terror charges.
Latheef said that the reason Nasheed’s name is mentioned in the resolution as a candidate is because “it is what the people want”, adding that Solih will run in the event Nasheed cannot.
“We do not believe that any election held without Nasheed’s name [on the ballot paper] will be just. This does not mean that we will boycott the election. But an election can only be free and fair only if elected candidates are able to contest”, said the MDP chair.
Latheef further spoke on the government’s call to renew all-party talks, saying that he does not believe that is a reason for talks. However, he said that neither MDP nor the Joint Opposition has made a decision on the matter.
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