Muizz wins PNC ticket to contest as Yameen's 'backup' candidate
In the vote held Thursday afternoon, Muizz received the backing of 25 out of the 48 members of the senate. Shareef received 23 votes.
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Male mayor Dr Mohamed Muizz won the presidential ticket of main opposition PPM's affiliate People's National Congress (PNC) on Thursday, and is set to act as a backup candidate in case PPM candidate, former President Abdulla Yameen's bid to secure his candidacy through the Supreme Court fails.
Following Yameen's directive on Wedneday, PNC's council met at 10am on Thursday where they endorsed a motion to contest the presidential election and invited candidates to file their nominations before 2pm.
PNC vice president Adam Shareef, and Muizz, who quit PPM and joined PNC to contest the primary, were the only candidates.
In the vote held Thursday afternoon, Muizz received the backing of 25 out of the 48 members of the senate. Shareef received 23 votes.
This comes after the Elections Commission (EC) rejected Yameen's candidacy on Tuesday, citing that he did not meet the requirement of a presidential candidate in light of his 11-year prison sentence for accepting a bribe and money laundering.
Yameen has filed a constitutional appeal against the EC's decision, and the Supreme Court has on Wednesday accepted the appeal. The Supreme Court has asked the EC to submit its written response by 3pm on Thursday and scheduled the first hearing for 2:30pm on Friday.
