Former President Mohamed Nasheed has stated that next year’s aim should be to bring forth a single candidate to defeat incumbent President Abdullah Yameen.

In a tweet posted in Dhivehi, the former President said that we must use forethought and caution in 2018. As such, he said his focus was on bringing forth a single candidate to defeat President Yameen and in the process, return Maldives to Maldivians.

While he had made this statement, he had also made it very clear that he intended to contest the upcoming 2018 Presidential elections.

Nasheed’s party Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) had announced that they will be holding their primaries for presidential ticket in May. Nominations will open up in March.

All parties in the Joint Opposition have appointed nominees for inter-party talks to determine a single candidate.