Yameen asked to nominate leadership member as PNC 'alternate' candidate

Main opposition PPM-PNC on Monday asked their jailed leader Abdulla Yameen to pick a "backup candidate" among the coalition's leadership, after the former president asked the leadership to send in suggestions for PNC's presidential candidate and running mate.

PPM-PNC leadership met Monday afternoon, hours after Yameen asked them to send in their suggestions to nominate an alternate candidate from PNC in case Yameen's nomination as the PPM candidate is rejected by the Elections Commission (EC) and later by the Supreme Court over his 11-year jail sentence. 

The leadership decided to recommend Yameen to make his choice, but from among the leadership members of the PPM-PNC coalition. 

"It has been suggested that the two appointees appointed by President Yameen should be part of the leadership of both the parties [PPM and PNC]," a senior PPM-PNC official familiar with the meeting told Atoll Times.

The leadership members of both the parties include:

Regarding a candidate to be fielded in the name of PNC, the leadership and most senate members support two: 

Last week, Yameen asked the leadership to send in their suggestions for his running mate, but the leadership decided to give the discretion to him. 

Yameen on Sunday chose former vice president Dr Mohamed Jameel Ahmed as his running mate.

Nominations for the September 9 presidential election are being accepted from 9am Sunday to 2pm on August 7 from the election headquarters at Dharubaaruge.

The opposition PPM-PNC has handed over their presidential ticket to Yameen.