President Solih welcomes AP’s decision to support his re-election

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has welcomed Adhaalath Party (AP)’s decision to support him for re-election to a second term in office.

AP made the decision to back President Solih in the upcoming presidential election with a majority vote of 38 out of 42 members who attended a meeting of the party’s advisory council Wednesday.

President Solih welcomed AP’s decision in a tweet shortly after the party announced its decision.

“I welcome and thank Adhaalath Party for its decision to partner with MDP for the 2023 presidential election. I wish for all of us to work together for a stable and happy tomorrow for Maldives,” he said.

2023ގެ ރިޔާސީ އިންތިޚާބުގައި އަދާލަތު ޕާޓީން އެމްޑީޕީއާ ގުޅިގެން ކުރިޔަށްދިއުމަށް ނިންމި ނިންމުމަށް މަރުޚަބާއާއި ޝުކުރުދަންނަވަން. އަޅުގަނޑު އެދެނީ ދިވެހިރާއްޖެއަށް ހަމަޖެހުމާއި އުފާވެރި މާދަމައެއް ހޯދައިދިނުމުގައި އަޅުގަނޑުމެން އެންމެން އެކީ ގުޅިގެން ކުރިއަށްދިޔުން. https://t.co/83Pd0pOa1C

— Ibrahim Mohamed Solih (@ibusolih) February 22, 2023

In a statement Wednesday, AP said it made the decision to support President Solih for re-election to protect the interests the party believes in.

“Because Adhaalath Party’s advisory council finds that under the current circumstances, the election of MDP’s presidential candidate in the 2023 presidential election is in the best interest of the holy religion of Islam, the Maldives, and the Maldivian people, and because it is the most effective way the party can work to protect these interests,” said the party.

AP, which is part of the coalition which won the 2018 presidential election, has over 10,200 members.

While AP has accepted President Solih’s invitation to form a coalition, the other government coalition partners – Jumhoory Party (JP) and Maldives Reform Movement (MRM) have yet to make a decision.