KABUL): The number of presidential runners has gone up in the wake of thoroughgoing investigations into objections and with the addition of the 11th candidate, Daud Sultanzoy, to the final list by Independent Electoral Complaints Commission (IECC), officials said on Tuesday.
The watchdog had started investigating complaints against presidential and provincial council runners soon after the release of the preliminary list of poll contestants. The process came to an end on Monday evening — two days behind schedule.
Abdul Sattar Sadat, the watchdog’s head, told a news conference in Kabul on Tuesday there had been no other change in the preliminary list of candidates issued by the Independent Election Commission (IEC) on Oct. 22.
Although he did not name the only presidential contender added to the list, a source in the commission confided to Pajhwok Afghan News that Sultanzoy had been included on the basis of documents regarding his renunciation of US nationality.
The source said Sultanzoy had submitted a certificate from the US embassy of his American citizenship abandonment, but the Independent Election Commission excluded him from the preliminary list, pending State Department’s approval of Sultanzoy’s application.
When contacted by this scribe, Sultanzoy confirmed IECC sources had informally told him about the inclusion of his name in the final list. He expressed his pleasure with authenticity of his documents and vindication of his position.
Sultanzoy’s choice for vice-president, Ahmad Saeedi, recently announced his refusal to run for the post. The presidential wannabe said he did not the reason for Saeedi’s decision.
Subsequently, the candidate nominated a former Ministry of Mines official, Farid Ahmad Fazli, as his VP. He hoped Saeedi’s decision would not affect his campaign.
The preliminary list of presidential contenders included Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, Abdur Rab Rassoul Sayyaf, Qutbuddin Hilal, Abdul Rahim Wardak, Dr. Ashraf Ghani, Dr. Zalmay Rassoul, Sardar Mohammad Nadir Naeem, Qayyum Karzai, Hidayat Amin Arsala and Gul Agha Sherzai.
Anwarul Haq Ahadi, Syed Ishaq Gilani, Bismillah Sher, Fazal Karim Najimi, Hashmat Ghani Ahmadzai, Sarwar Ahmadzai, Hamidullah Qadiri, Daud Sultanzoy, Azizullah Ludin, Salman Ali Dostzada, Farooq Azam, Khadija Ghaznavi, Abdul Hadi Dabir, Noor Rahman Lewal, Dawar Ahmad Naderi and Nader Shah Ahmadzai were disqualified.
mud
Visits: 0
GET IN TOUCH
NEWSLETTER
SUGGEST A STORY
PAJHWOK MOBILE APP