Jumhoory Party's deputy leader Abdulla Riyaz has stated the party's wish is to nominate and support its leader Qasim Ibrahim has the coalition led presidential candidate in the 2018 election.
However JP's leader is willing to step down should such a circumstance arise prior to elections or campaigning, allowing for another party member to place name for presidency nominations. As of now, based on the local Constitution Qasim Ibrahim cannot run for president's office since he had turned 65 already.
Maldives Constitution cites that a Maldivian national aged 65 and above cannot run for the president's office.
Additionally Qasim Ibrahim, who is also the founder and head of Villa Group has been found guilty of bribing and was serving a jail term of three years before he received permission to fly abroad to seek medical attention.
Qasim Ibrahim can run for presidency should the Constitution gets amended as such and post a pardon or revoke on his conviction.
While JP has expressed its general support for Qasim Ibrahim to run for presidency, both him and his party confirmed their respect towards Maldives Democratic Party's (MDP) decision to support its leaders Mohamed Nasheed for presidency.
Nasheed who already has been a president of Maldives was sentenced to jail of being found guilty of terrorism. However he had self-exiled himself to UK and has been living there since, with frequent visits to Sri Lanka.
The former president too, just like his opposition colleague Qasim Ibrahim, cannot run for presidency with the current circumstances.
During JP's meeting, its deputy leader Riyaz had directed criticism towards current government and condemned its attempt to sabotage the opposition's political conduct as well as misuse of power and influence to undermine and intimidate opposing parties as well as narrowing their chances to nominate a presidential candidate.
While the notion of presenting one candidate from the opposition alliance from former president Mohamed Nasheed was received well by other prominent members of the opposition, former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom had not made an official statement about his views.
Interestingly all the prime and promising opposition candidates have been surgically removed from their venues or influence such as former vice president Ahmed Adeeb who was garnering massive support from the youths before he was jailed over the alleged involvement in an assassination plot against incumbent president Abdulla Yameen.
Similarly both Jumhoory Party and Adaalath Party leaders, Qasim Ibrahim and Sheikh Imran Abdulla found their 'homes' at jail. Another possible candidate was found in the son of former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, Ahmed Faris Maumoon - although no official statements or ideas were presented about his possibility for a future run to president's office, was highly believed as a prime contender - had also been kept in police custody with his trial proceeding.
