Former Minister Ilyas backs Gasim for presidential election

Brother-in-law of former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom and former senior cabinet minister Ilyas Ibrahim has decided to support Jumhoory Party presidential candidate Gasim Ibrahim and his running mate Dr. Hassan Saeed for the upcoming presidential elections.

Ilyas Ibrahim participated in a senior level meeting of the “Jumhoory Coalition” last night, the first such an appearance by the former minister since leaving his brother-in-law’s Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) last month.

The meeting saw discussions among the coalition partners, including the other major PPM defector, former interim deputy leader of the party Umar Naseer, JP coalition leaders Gasim Ibrahim and Dr. Hassan Saeed, Vice President of the religiously conservative Adhaalath Party, Dr. Mauroof Hussain, and Ilyas Ibrahim, largely regarding the campaign efforts of the JP coalition.

Gasim Ibrahim’s spokesperson Ibrahim Khaleel said tonight that Ilyas will support Gasim and Hassan in the presidential elections and that Ilyas will soon start an official role in the “Jumhoory Coalition” campaign.