Former President Mohamed Nasheed has said that he has no doubt about Hinnavaru MP Ibrahim Mohmaed Solih being Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP)’s presidential candidate.

The self-exiled leader of MDP praised Solih during a meeting with Maldivians living in Sri Lanka on Friday.

At the gathering, Nasheed said that Solih will work to implement MDP’s manifesto and asked that everyone help in any way they can to get him elected.

The Joint Opposition parties have agreed to back a member of MDP as their common presidential candidate and a member of Jumhooree Party (JP) as their running mate.

“I believe that Solih, as a candidate of MDP and the Joint Opposition, will do very good work. I have had a close relationship with Ibu (Solih) for a long time. Even now he is one of my closest friends. I have no doubt about Ibu,” said Nasheed.

He also said that it was crucial for the sake of the nation to stand behind their presidential candidate and that it was President Abdulla Yameen’s fault that the opposition was unable to field the candidate that the people wanted.

Solih was elected as MDP’s candidate at their third party congress after Nasheed withdrew his bid for presidency despite winning over 40,000 votes in the primaries. He relinquished the party ticket after the Elections Commission insisted that he would not be allowed to contest September’s election, citing his prison conviction as the reason.