Dr. Mohamed Shaheem, the Chancellor of the Islamic University, has been chosen as President Abdulla Yameen’s running mate.

The former islamic minister was chosen as the running mate at a ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) council meeting on Saturday night.

Dr. Shaheem, who stepped into the political arena within Adhaalath Party (AP), was the Islamic Minister in President Dr. Mohamed Waheed and President Yameen’s administration.

He resigned as President Yameen’s Islamic Minister on AP’s request after the government arrested party leader Imran Abdulla during the mass ‘May Day’ rally and remained away from politics for some time before resigning from AP in late 2015.

Dr. Shaheem, who was also the state minister at the Islamic Minister during President Mohamed Nasheed’s administration, is the first Chancellor of the Islamic University.