The main-ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has requested a rescheduling of the presidential debate organized by the Maldives National University (MNU) and the state media, Public Service Media (PSM).
The debate is scheduled for 9:00 pm on September 1, Friday.
President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih's Campaign Spokesperson, Mariya Ahmed Didi, told the media that the MDP has already planned a large-scale campaign rally in the capital city, Male, for the same Friday night. Acknowledging the overlap between the two events, Mariya said discussions are underway with MNU to explore the possibility of adjusting the debate's date or finding an alternative solution.
When questioned about the potential challenges that date adjustments might pose for other candidates, Mariya said there was nothing the MDP could do about it.
Earlier, Mariya had indicated that President Solih's participation in the debate depended on his schedule availability. However, she later confirmed on Sunday that the President would participate in the debate. She explained that despite the President's typical avoidance of media-organized debates, an exception was made for the MNU debate due to its scholarly nature and potential for in-depth policy discussions.
President Solih's Campaign Spokesperson, Mariya Ahmed Didi
