The leader of the Jumhooree Party (JP), Qasim Ibrahim, has said party members can choose to vote for any candidate of their choice in the second round of the presidential election.
Qasim contested the first round of the presidential election on September 9 but failed to advance to the second round. He received 5,460 votes, placing him fifth among eight candidates. Meanwhile, the PPM-PNC candidate, Dr. Mohamed Muizzu, emerged as the frontrunner with 46 percent of the votes, and President Solih secured second place with 39 percent of the votes. With no candidate reaching the required 50 percent majority for a decisive victory, a second round of voting has been confirmed, emphasizing the need for both parties to form alliances with other parties to ensure victory in the final round.
On Saturday, the JP Council convened to decide on which candidate to back for the second round. Ultimately, Despite attempts by both parties to form a coalition with JP, the party opted not to endorse any candidate, citing past coalition experiences as a determining factor.
In a tweet posted Sunday, Qasim said he recognises that the decision of the JP council could infringe upon voting rights of party members. Therefore, he asked the JP members to vote for the candidate they saw fit.
"I want to convey to all JP members that I believe that it is the legal right of every member to support and vote for the candidate of their choice," Qasim wrote.
Qasim Ibrahim at the JP Council meeting - Photo: AVAS
