Ilyas files candidacy for 2023 election

Ilyas Labeeb, the presidential candidate of The Democrats, has also submitted his candidacy for the upcoming presidential election.

Ilyas submitted his candidacy on Sunday afternoon, shortly after naming Hussain Amr, the former managing director of the State Trading Organization (STO), as his running mate.

He was accompanied to the elections center, located in Dharubaaruge, by Amr and other top party officials.

Ilyas, the parliamentary representative for Hulhudhoo constituency, won his party’s presidential ticket on July 28, with 94 percent of the votes.

He had been the sole contender for the ticket.

The Democrats is composed of a breakaway faction from the ruling MDP, loyal to the party’s former leader Mohamed Nasheed.

The former president had reportedly tried to pick someone from another party as a running mate, in hopes of securing a partnership for the election.

The party had reportedly engaged in negotiations with the opposition PPM-PNC coalition, and JP.

Amr was dismissed as the head of STO back in March, for his involvement in political activities against President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih’s administration.

Many of the presidential candidates have now announced their running mates.

President Solih picked MDP’s top lawmaker Mohamed Aslam, MNP’s leader Colonel (Retired) Mohamed Nazim picked Dr. Ahmed Adeel Naseer, PNC’s candidate Dr. Mohamed Muizzu picked Faresmaathoda MP Hussain Mohamed Latheef, and JP’s leader Qasim Ibrahim picked the party’s deputy leader Ameen Ibrahim.

However, MRM’s president Faris Maumoon, and independent candidate Umar Naseer have yet to announce their running mate.