Maldives president hopes for credible poll

Male – Maldives President Mohamed Waheed Wednesday expressed the hope for a credible and successful presidential election later this week.

He said this when he met Japanese Ambassador to the Maldives Nobuhito Hobo, reported Xinhua citing the president’s office.

At the meeting, discussions were focused on the issues regarding the presidential election and President Waheed assured that he would facilitate everything to ensure a smooth electoral process.

Meanwhile, the Commonwealth Secretary General’s Special Envoy, Sir Donald McKinnon, has been in the Maldives since last weekend.

He has held discussions with a number of Maldivian stakeholders, including a long interaction with the Elections Commission.

“I come here as a longstanding friend of the Maldives, to play my part in assisting the Maldivian people to have a free, fair and credible election,” McKinnon said in a statement Wednesday.

He said the election held Sep 7, 2013 went very well as noted by domestic and international observers and he was confident that a successful election will take place this Saturday also.

McKinnon said the high voter turnout of 88 percent for the Sep 7 election demonstrates that the Maldivian people want their voice to be heard.

“There is no reason for the Nov 9 election not to go smoothly if everyone plays their part in supporting the electoral process. This is the time that all political leaders must act in the utmost of good faith to allow the election to proceed freely, fairly and calmly,” he said.