Umar gets 2,000 signatures to run for election
Umar entered the presidential race with a promise to solve the problems that have not been solved by any political party in Maldives.
Former home minister Umar Naseer announced on Friday that he has reached the required number of signatures to contest the upcoming presidential election as an independent candidate.
Independent candidates are required by law to submit 1,500 signatures in support of their candidacy along with their nomination papers.
Umar said in a Facebook live message at his campaign office on Friday evening that his campaign has collected 2,000 signatures in five days.
"There are still more people who have said they will sign," he said.
Umar, who has entered the presidential race with a promise to resolve the problems that have not been resolved by any political party in Maldives, said he was conducting a “public campaign”.
"So far I have noticed that this is more of a movement than a campaign. A lot of people have participated in it and a lot of people have caught hold of this 'white rope' I have extended," Umar, who contested the 2008 presidential election on behalf of the former Islamic Democratic Party (IDP), said.
"This is a campaign we are running to change the direction of this country. We are running a campaign to resolve the major problems faced in this country and take this country in a completely new direction."
Nominations for the presidential election are open till 2pm on August 7.
