Jumhooree Party leader and business tycoon Qasim Ibrahim’s name will be on the ballot as a candidate for the 2018 presidential elections, says the party’s deputy parliamentary group leader Abdulla Riyaz.

The parliamentarian for Kinbidhoo constituency made the remark at an event held at the JP office- Maafannu Kunooz- on Sunday night, officially announcing its candidates for the upcoming Local Council Elections.

Riyaz said that the Sunday night’s gathering was “not just the beginning of JP’s campaign for the council elections, but also the night it started its work to put the party at the top in the political arena".

“We will do all we can, to bring the necessary changes to the Constitution so that honorable Qasim’s name is on the ballot for the 2018 elections” he said.

Qasim- MP for Maamigilli constituency- is not eligible to partake in the presidential elections due to the amendment passed to Article 109 of the Constitution, setting an age criteria for presidential candidates.

• The amendment to the Constitution, passed in June 2015, sets the age requirement of presidential and vice presidential candidates between 30 to 65 years.

Riyaz said that they will seek both local and international assistance to ensure that Qasim is able to run for office, adding that they will submit a motion at parliament, and file the case at the courts.

He assured that they will succeed in their work, but did not divulge any information on their plans.

The Kinbidhoo MP, who was part of the opposition team that submitted the no-confidence against parliament speaker Abdulla Maseeh Mohamed, urged members to not get “swayed by offers”.

“There will be a lot of offers right now, but we should not get swayed by money, we should stand true to ourselves,” said MP Riyaz.

He emphasized the importance of impeaching the speaker, adding that the party must issue a three-line whip in the vote.