Libya parliament speaker’s presidential bid a ‘conspiracy’ against General Haftar, MP says

Libyan Parliament Speaker Aguila Saleh’s plans to run in the country’s presidential elections slated in December proves that he is aware of a “foreign conspiracy” against Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, MP Ziad Daghim said yesterday.

“We are very surprised by Aguila’s announcement, and there is no explanation for his decision to run against Field Marshal Haftar other than that he is aware of a foreign conspiracy that will be carried out by the Head of Libya’s national elections commission Imad Al-Sayeh, in order to reduce the options of the Libyan people,” Daghim said.

Saleh, 77, who has led Libya’s House of Representatives since 2014, announced his candidacy in a video statement on Wednesday, making him the latest candidate to join the race for the country’s highest office after years of civil war.

The elections are supposed to be held on 24 December, but face growing uncertainty after two controversial candidates declared their candidacy. In the past week, Saif Al-Islam, the son of the country’s longtime ruler Muammar Gaddafi, and powerful renegade military commander Khalifa Haftar submitted their bids to run.

In recent years, Saleh has drawn the ire of many people after lending support to Haftar’s failed assault on Tripoli, seat of the internationally recognised government.

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