Maldives' united opposition on Friday confirmed that a single candidate would stand for the upcoming presidential elections.
The main opposition leaders including former presidents Maumoon Abdul Gayoom and Mohamed Nasheed along with Jumhoory Party (JP) leader Gasim Ibrahim and religiously conservative Adhaalath Party (AP) leader Sheikh Imran Abdulla inked pact to form what they called a 'reform alliance'.
With the candidacy of the four leaders - all convicted and serving sentences on questionable charges in serious doubt, the united opposition had announced plans to nominate a single candidate for the upcoming presidential elections.
Speaking during an opposition rally held in Alif Alif Atoll Rasdhoo island on Friday, chief opposition lawmaker Ibrahim Mohamed Solih assured that a single candidate backed by the opposition leaders would stand for the elections slated for September.
Solih reiterated that incumbent president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom who is seeking re-election remains the biggest threat to a free and fair elections. He added that the opposition needed to "remove" that threat before the elections.
Solih reiterated that incumbent president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom who is seeking re-election remains the biggest threat to a free and fair elections. He added that the opposition needed to "remove" that threat before the elections.
"President Yameen remains the biggest threat to a free and fair elections. That's why we need to end his regime before the elections. The constitution clearly states how we can do that. We as elected officials, cannot stand idly when the people need us. We must do all we can to make it happen," Solih said.
The parties had appointed representatives for the crunch discussions in January and had put forward their respective terms for a single candidate.
However, the talks were put-off after the Supreme Court on February 1 ordered the immediate release of jailed political leaders including Nasheed which plunged the country into fresh political turmoil.
President Yameen on February 5 had declared a state of emergency after his last ditch attempt to convince the top court to revoke the order failed, purged the Supreme Court by arresting two judges and the remaining political leaders and ultimately had the order revoked.
