Umar Naseer, competing candidate for the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) presidential primary has said last night that he may consider rival primary candidate Abdullah Yameen or one of the party’s Interim President Maumoon Abdul Gayyoom’s children for his running mate if he wins the primary.

Speaking after an event held at Ghiyaasuddeen School aimed at recruiting volunteers for his campaign, Umar told Sun that his running mate will depend upon which party PPM chooses to form a coalition with. He said that options are open for Yameen, or one of Maumoon’s three children, or a person from PPM’s coalition party.

The constitution states in Article 112 (c) in relation to Article 109 (c) that a person has to be 35 years of age to be elected President or Vice President. Maumoon’s children who fit the requirement are Farish Maumoon, Dhunya Maumoon and Yumna Maumoon. Ghassan Maumoon will not be eligible.

“Yameen has the option too [to be the running mate]. There is the possibility that I might give the option to one of Maumoon’s children. The possibility to form a coalition and chose a running mate from that coalition is also an option. Three of Maumoon’s children are of eligible age. So I might also choose to give it to the most competent one amongst them,” said Umar.

Umar was elected the Deputy Leader of DRP with 502 votes in the party’s third congress. He said that he will take his PPM supporters to their desired destination by winning the primary by a healthy difference. He said that he has tested the “loyalty” of his supporters more than once and that when the DRP leadership was handed over to the wrong hands, his local supporters had worked with him to form PPM and make the party a success.

Maumoon left DRP, which is the second political party to be formed in the country. He then established PPM, the country’s 15th political party. Umar Naseer said that he will not allow the party to faction after the primary is over and that he will provide equal opportunities to his primary rivals. He also said that they will be given big opportunities in his government as well.

Umar said that chances are small that the current President Dr. Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik might join PPM to compete in the primary. Although, he said that Waheed will be an asset to the party if he decides to join.

“The way I see it, there is the opportunity for President Waheed to become PPM’s presidential candidate. That opportunity is now becoming narrow. I still invite him to join this party. I think that he will be a great asset if he joins the party,” said Umar.

PPM has recently quit the Peoples National Movement of which the party played a lead role. Umar said that the party had to move away from the movement because the movement has verbally abused PPM’s leaders during their rallies more than once. He said that he will defend the leaders of his party if they are attacked.

“We have been lately recognizing the National Movement as a means to slander our leaders. It has happened more than once now. As long as I belong to this party, I will defend each and every one of its leaders. If Yameen is being attacked, I will defend him. If any other leader is attacked, I will defend him too,” said Umar.

Umar won 1 percent of the vote in the country’s first democratic presidential election held in 2008. He is now working on gathering 300 volunteers from his 17900 strong party for his campaign. About 250 people have already volunteered.