The Libyan National Army (LNA) commander, Khalifa Haftar, on Tuesday submitted his candidacy for the presidential elections scheduled to be held on December 24, reported CGTN Africa.
Haftar formally submitted his candidacy papers Tuesday in Benghazi and announced the move in a video. He said he’s seeking the presidential post to “lead our people in a fateful stage.”
Haftar, who commands the self-styled Libyan Arab Armed Forces, delegated his military duties to his chief of staff, Abdel-Razek al-Nadhouri, in September for three months, to meet candidacy rules and terms.
Haftar’s announcement comes after Seif al-Islam Gadhafi, the son and one-time heir apparent of the late Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, submitted candidacy papers in the southern town of Sabha on Sunday. Seif al-Islam is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on charges of crimes against humanity. He has spent years largely in hiding.
Haftar’s candidacy is likely to anger many in the capital city and western regions who claim that no vote in areas he holds can be fair and who accuse him of war crimes during the assault.
Notably, major factions may reject the vote in the absence of a clear agreement on the legal basis for the upcoming election. A major conference in Paris on Friday agreed to sanction those who disrupt or prevent the vote, but there is still no agreement on rules to govern who should be able to run.
On Monday, Libyan interim Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Mohammed Dbeibah said he will run for president if the people of the country want him to do so.
“It’s up to you. Do you want me to run in the elections, or do you not?” Dbeibah asked students at the new National Youth Council in the Libyan capital Tripoli.
He said he would announce his position on running for the presidential elections when the right time comes. He also rejected electoral laws passed last month by the eastern-based House of Representatives, saying they are designed to suit only certain people.
