The Elections Commission of Maldives has said that it had sent an observer to Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP)’s national congress.

Commission member and spokesperson Ahmed Akram told RaajjeMV that a legal officer was present at the meeting held at Ukulhas island of Alif Alif atoll last Saturday.

Noting that the party is yet to share details of its national congress meeting, Akram said that can only reveal any further information on the congress after MDP does so.

Hundreds of MDP members traveled to Ukulhas island to take part in the party’s national congress, where parliamentary group leader Ibrahim Mohamed Solih was elected as its candidate for the upcoming presidential elections.

Solih was elected following former President Mohamed Nasheed’s withdrawal from the presidential race. He won the party ticket in a primary held on May 30, with over 46,000 members voting in favor.

Nasheed made the decision due to Elections Commission’s insistence that he will not be allowed to contest in the election, citing his conviction on terror charges. The former president was sentenced to 13 years in prison in March 2015 and has since been granted political asylum in the United Kingdom.

While the Commission demanded MDP to continue its elections preparations without Nasheed, the resolution passed at MDP’s third national congress states that despite the election of Solih, Nasheed will run in the elections if possible “even if it is at the last minute”.