The registration of candidates for July 20 presidential election closed on January 20 with 17 hopefuls on the race.
Candidates include incumbent President Ashraf Ghani, former national-security adviser Hanif Atmar, and Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah.
Other registered nominees are Hakim Torsan, Latif Pedram, Faramarz Tamana, Enayatullah Hafiz, Zalmai Rasool, Noor Ul Haq Ulomi, Gulbudddin Hekmatyar, Ahmad Wali Massoud, Syed Noorullah Jalili, former NDS Chief Rahmatullah Nabil, Shaida Mohammad Abadali, Noorahman Liwal, Shahaab Hakimi and Ibrahim Alakozai.
On the last day of registration on Sunday President Ashraf Ghani, CEO Abdullah, former Afghan ambassador to India Shaida Mohammad Abdali and Noorahman Liwal along with their running mates visited the Independent Election Commission to register their names.
Speaking to the reporters after the registration, President Ghani termed his team as the ticket of state building, stressing they will work towards peace and bringing stability in the country, but would never beg peace from the others.
Ghani told reporters: “The first peace offer happened in my government and this government is committed to bringing peace and stability to the country. My team is committed not to compromise the honor of our security forces.”
“The biggest tribe is the poor people of our country who live in every corner of the country and the eradication of poverty and serving them is the priority of my team,” he said.
Ghani said the Independent Election Commission, the Independent Electoral Complaints Commission and election watchdogs needed reforms and he would introduce ‘drastic reforms’.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Abdullah Abdullah also registered his candidacy for the July 20 election on Sunday, a strong candidate to challenge Ghani.
Ghani and Abdullah contested a close election in 2014 that was marred by allegations of fraud. Then-US Secretary of State John Kerry mediated a power-sharing unity government under which Ghani was declared as president and Abdullah was given the new position of chief executive.
This time however, Hanif Atmar, Ghani’s former National Security Advisor, is considered his serious rival in the upcoming poll.
The presidential election will be held simultaneously with provincial and district council polls.
