Multiple MPs secure MDP ticket for Majlis elections

Ceremony held to present MDP's presidential ticket to then-President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih on February 17, 2023. (Sun Photo/Abdulla Shaathiu)

Over half a dozen incumbent lawmakers eye re-election to the Parliament, after having won the main opposition MDP primaries for the upcoming parliamentary elections.

At least 46 candidates, including many incumbent lawmakers, had already secured the party’s ticket, after running unopposed.

Polling took place in the MDP primaries for 40 electoral districts from 09:00 am to 05:00 pm on Saturday.

25,325 people were eligible to vote in the election.

Preliminary results show that multiple incumbent lawmakers won Saturday’s primaries. This includes:

Kaashidhoo MP Abdulla Jabir
Biledhdhoo MP Ahmed Haleem (Dhonbileh)
Kinbidhoo MP Mohamed Nashiz
Velidhoo MP Mohamed Abdulla Shafeeq
Hanimaadhoo MP Abdul Ghafoor Moosa
Alifushi MP Mohamed Rasheed (Bigey)
Vilingili MP Saud Hussain

MP Rozaina Adam (R) and her spouse MP Mohamed Nashiz (L) are pictured with the-President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih (C). (File Photo/MDP)

While Nashiz won the election, his wife, Addu Meedhoo MP Rozaina Adam, suffered defeat after running for the North Feydhoo seat.

Combined file photos of (from L-R) Safath Ahmed Zahir, Nazra Naseem, and Ali Waheed.

Others who won the primaries include former tourism minister Ali Waheed, former sports minister Ahmed Mahloof’s spouse Nazra Naseem, and Safath Ahmed Zahir, the former spokesperson at the foreign ministry.

Speaking to reporters outside a polling station in Male’ on Saturday, MDP’s interim leader, former president Ibrahim Mohamed Solih said the party aims to achieve a decisive victory in the parliamentary elections.

“Our goal is to secure a majority, In Sha Allah. We see this happening… In Sha Allah, as I just said, we will win a clear majority in the upcoming 20th parliamentary assembly,” he said.

Former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih visits a polling station in Male' during the MDP primaries for the parliamentary elections on February 3, 2024. (Photo/MDP)

MDP had achieved a sweeping victory in the 2019 elections, securing a supermajority in the Parliament after winning 65 out of 87 seats.

But the party lost the recent presidential elections to the PPM-PNC, and needs to win big in this year’s parliamentary elections in order to maintain its political clout.

The parliamentary elections is scheduled for March 17th.

However, the MDP has submitted a bill seeking to postpone the election, to after Ramadan.