VP Faisal says interested in becoming Pres Solih’s running mate

Incumbent Vice President Faisal Naseem said on Friday that he has shared his interest in running for a second term as President Ibrahim Mohammed Solih's running mate.

Asked on Raajje TV's Fashaairu morning show if he is interested in being President Solih's running mate for a second term, Faisal said he has a passion for serving the country and the people. He also said that many of the initiatives in the social sector in this term should be continued in the next term.

"There are a lot of things that are still incomplete. Rather than putting them away and stopping halfway through, what I would like is for us to have the opportunity to continue the work. The interest is there," Faisal said.

"Most of my life has been spent in this way. This nation and the Maldivian people are where my heart is. Decision-making is another matter. I am a person who does what is entrusted to me as well as is possible. Others can decide”.

Faisal said he supports President Solih for a second term without any conditions. He said he would not boast and say, "I want something, I want something, I will not participate if you give it to someone else”.

"These are very dirty things. I am not a person who makes conditions for things. They can give or not," Faisal said.

Faisal also explained his reasons for supporting President Solih. He said President Solih is a simple and brave man who always works with the determination to serve the people. He is a man who shows things in action without talking too much, he said.

Faisal said President Solih has been ruling Maldives "extraordinarily".

"It is luck to find such a person in the life of a country. When we get this lucky, we have to give him another chance. He has been tested and tried," Faisal said.

"It's been a completely different five years”.

In addition, Faisal mentioned the president's efforts to provide basic services to sparsely populated islands. Faisal also described President Solih as the leader who gave the highest priority to provide services to small populations.

Faisal was elected vice-president in a slot of Maamigili MP Gasim Ibrahim’s Jumhooree Party (JP), among the coalition where Solih got elected in 2018.

Sharing his relationship with Gasim, Faisal said Gasim met him as soon as he took over as Vice President and asked him to remain loyal and honest to the president. Therefore, he does not involve himself in party affairs, he said. He also praised Faisal's work and asked him to continue in his recent meetings with Gasim.

"Everyone is saying, 'do it well, work well with the president'," Faisal said.

Faisal said the president has also said on several occasions that he has full confidence in him. Faisal assured that he would be with President Solih as a team.