PPM proposes Yameen as common opposition candidate
Leaders of Democrats, JP and MNP have announced that they were in agreement to field to a common candidate if PPM agreed to do their proposa.
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Following Wednesday's agreement among The Democrats, Jumhooree Party (JP) and Maldives National Party (MNP) to field a common candidate if Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) agrees to it, the main opposition party has proposed that their leader Abdulla Yameen be designated as the common opposition candidate against President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih in the upcoming presidential election.
The Democrats' Mohamed Nasheed, Jumhooree Party (JP) leader Gasim Ibrahim and MNP President Mohamed Nazim have agreed to field a common candidate in consultation with PPM and MRM. However, they said that if PPM and MRM did not agree to it, the three parties would contest on their own.
In a statement following the announcement, PPM-PNC said their senate had unanimously decided on July 31, 2022 that Yameen is their presidential candidate. He was formally handed the presidential ticket at a ceremony held at the carnival area in capital Male on August 19, 2022, they said.
“The coalition welcomes and thanks the parties for their joint efforts to end the government of Ibrahim Mohammed Solih,” the PPM said in a statement.
Speaking to reporters after a meeting at JP headquarters at M. Kunuz, Nasheed, Gasim and Nazim said if main opposition PPM and former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom's MRM agrees, they will field a common candidate.
Gasim, who has launched his own presidential campaign after rejecting an invitation by President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih to renew the coalition agreement for a second term, said he wants to go ahead with one candidate. Negotiations with PPM and MRM to agree on a common candidate will begin soon, he added.
Negotiations have been going on independently among PPM, JP, MNP and Democrats. In particular, there have been a number of meetings between the PPM and the Democrats. Gasim has also held separate meetings with senior leaders of PPM and MNP this week.
Speaking at the Democrats' founding rally held at Ghiyasuddin School on July 6, Nasheed said that former President Abdulla Yameen, who has been declared as PPM's presidential candidate, and himself should take a step back and work together to field a common candidate to defeat President Solih.
