16 August 2008, 14:40
12 candidates run for Azerbaijani presidency
Today, the Central Electoral Commission (CEC) of Azerbaijan has registered the incumbent President Ilham Aliev as a candidate for the position of the state leader at the forthcoming presidential election on October 15.
Mr Aliev was nominated to presidency by the party in power "New Azerbaijan". Less than for 10 days, the electoral office of this party had managed to collect 46,750 signatures in support of their candidate in the territory of 124 constituencies.
During the check, the CEC has nullified only 497 signatures. They excluded, the number of valid signatures in favour of Aliev made 46,253, enough to register him as a candidate for presidency.
The today's CEC sitting has approved another would-be candidate - Gulamgusein Alibeili, who is a self-nominee. Last week he resigned from the post of the chairman of the Supreme Medjlis (Board) of the oppositional party of the Popular Front of Azerbaijan, which is boycotting the election. Mr Alibeili gave no explanations to his resignation, unwilling to make any comments on this step.
Gulamgusein Alibeili became the 12th presidential candidate approved by the CEC. Now, after registration of the incumbent President Aliev, 11 more applicants continue to remain in the signature-hunting race.
The deadline for submitting lists with signatures to the CEC is 6:00 p.m. on September 5. Check of the documents and decision-making whether to register a candidate or not shall be carried out within 10 days after acceptance of these documents by the CEC.
Author: Faik Medzhid, CK correspondent
