Nazim: Ready to compete in presidential election if I win MNP’s ticket

Maldives National Party (MNP)’s leader, Dhangethi MP Colonel (Retired) Mohamed Nazim, on Tuesday, has revealed his intention to compete in the presidential election scheduled for next year if he wins MNP’s presidential ticket.

Underscoring that bringing out a candidate for the upcoming presidential election is MNP’s hope – Nazim told Sun that the party was making necessary arrangements for it.

“Should I win in the party’s primary, I will compete in the presidential election,” he added.

Stressing that MNP would not serve a certain candidate on the platter – Nazim said that a candidate to represent MNP in the presidential election would be decided in accordance with the party’s congress.

In this regard, he noted that MNP’s first congress is scheduled to take place in the first week of September.

MNP has recently succeeded in two by-elections of the Women’s Development Committee (WDC) of two islands. They party’s candidate lost Vilimale’ WDC by-election by a mere vote. The candidate’s competition was the biggest opposition party, Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM).

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih announced his intention to run for a second term in early June.  Government coalition partner, Jumhoory Party has also stated that they will complete the upcoming presidential election.

Meanwhile, PPM’s senate named the party’s leader, former president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom as their candidate for the upcoming presidential elections on Sunday.