Nasheed: Must consider third option for presidential ticket, Shahid eligible for presidency

Parliament Speaker, former President Mohamed Nasheed has stated that a third option must be considered when granting Maldivian Democratic Party’s (MDP) presidential ticket – adding that the President of the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), Maldivian Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid meets the requirements for presidency.  

Speaking in the fifth episode of ‘Ask Speaker’ show on Thursday night, Nasheed said that he believes President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih running for a second term is not ideal for the main ruling party, MDP.

“As I see it, President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih running for a second term is not the most course for MDP,” he had said.

Nasheed had remarked this in response to a question posed by a participant of the program – inquiring whether he would contest in MDP’s primary for the presidential election scheduled for next year, and whether he would support the winning candidate in a circumstance he loses.

Answering the question – Nasheed said that he would not run in any election to lose. He added that if he is running in possible future elections, it would be with the intention to win.

He also underscored that ahead of President Soli announcing his candidacy for 2018’s presidential election – Shahid had met with him and requested to contest the election as MDP’s candidate.

Nasheed said that back then, he had told Shahid that the most capable candidate for 2018’s election was President Solih.

“In 2018, I told Shahid back then that he clearly ticks all the requirements to be the president of Maldives,” he added.

President Solih had expressed intention to run for re-election in the upcoming 2023 presidential elections at a press conference held earlier this month.

In an earlier statement responding to President Solih’s announcement – Nasheed said that now was not the time to put forward personal aspirations and get one’s foot in for presidency.