The exiled former president of the Maldives said on Friday he has abandoned plans to contest an upcoming presidential election because of legal obstacles.
Mohamed Nasheed, the leader of the main Opposition Maldivian Democratic Party, said in a Twitter message that he decided to withdraw from the race after the election commission refused to recognise his victory in a recent party primary.
He said he will officially announce the decision tomorrow at a party congress where a new candidate is expected to be announced.
Senior MDP member Ibrahim Mohamed Solih is tipped to be the new candidate. Current President Yameen Abdul Gayoom had expected to contest the September election virtually unopposed, with all of his challengers either in jail or exile.