Subscription Form

Then-Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid speaking at the campaign rally held in Kulhudhuffushi City -- Photo: MDP

MALÉ: The President of the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) and former Foreign Minister, Abdulla Shahid, is scheduled to travel to Addu City tomorrow to formally kick off his campaign for the party’s upcoming presidential primary.

Although Shahid has been meeting with key figures and gathering support for the primary since last July, he has not yet made an official public declaration of his candidacy.

Two-Day Campaign Tour in Addu

According to a close associate on Shahid’s campaign team, the two-day visit to Addu City will serve as the official launch of his primary campaign.

The campaign tour includes two major rallies:

• Hithadhoo Rally: Scheduled for tomorrow evening.

• Hulhudhoo-Meedhoo Rally: Scheduled for Saturday evening.

During his visit, Shahid also plans to hold one-on-one meetings with influential MDP figures in Addu to secure their endorsement. Ahead of the trip, Shahid met with Addu residents living in Malé earlier this week and confirmed his trip in a social media post.

Escalating Primary Race

Shahid’s campaign launch comes right after the major decision by former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih to contest the MDP presidential primary, setting up a high-stakes competition within the opposition party.

The MDP primary field currently features three major figures:

• Fayyaz Ismail: Former Economic Minister and former MDP Chairperson, who was the first to officially declare his candidacy. Notably, former President and present MDP Chairperson Mohamed Nasheed has publicly endorsed Fayyaz’s candidacy for the primary.

• Ibrahim Mohamed Solih: Former President, who decided earlier this week to enter the primary race after consulting key party leaders. He was the MDP’s presidential candidate in the last two presidential elections, in 2018 and 2023.

• Abdulla Shahid: MDP President and former Foreign Minister, now launching his active campaign in Addu.

While the MDP has not officially set an exact date for the primary, party leadership is working towards holding the internal election within the coming year. According to some sources, a date will be finalized at the upcoming congress scheduled for September 19.