Malé, Maldives – Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) will get 20 percent of the vote if President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih becomes its candidate in next year’s presidential election, former President Mohammed Nasheed said tonight.
Nasheed, who launched his presidential primary campaign, “Fikurehge dhirun” – translating in to ”birth of an ideology,” – at a rally in Sultan Park, said he was contesting the election because it was very clear that the MDP would get fewer votes if President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih became the presidential candidate.
The party has always aimed to provide good governance to the people and to be in a position to serve the people, but Nasheed said the door would be closed for the MDP if the President contested on the party’s ticket.
“I am out because I believe that if President Solih is the MDP candidate, the party’s vote share will be less than 20 percent. I am out to hand over the Maldivian Democratic Party to its members. This is not a party belonging to a handful,” Nasheed said.
This government has ruled for the past five years after excluding the party’s ordinary members and him. Their intention was to use the MDP logo, symbol and enthusiasm to change the party, he said.
Nasheed also said the 2018 presidential election was won by President Solih because of the coalition signed by MDP with Adhaalath Party, the Jumhoory Party and with President Maumoon. However, there is no chance of forming a coalition in the upcoming presidential election, he said.
He said the President won the last presidential election by forming a coalition. Therefore, it is not a political victory for President Solih, he said. If President Solih wins the MDP presidential ticket in the upcoming presidential election, it will be his first time contesting a presidential election, he said.
The reason that they agreed to form a coalition when the 2018 presidential election came because there was no other option, but this time around all political leaders are free and have shown interest to contest on their own, Nasheed told.
Nasheed also told that with former President and opposition presidential candidate Abdulla Yameen out of the political picture, the others parties in the coalition would contest on their own but President Ibrahim Mohammed Solih would not get the support of those who support Yameen.
