Under the title "Presidency of Libya Attracts Qaddafi's Men... Alternative Candidate and Black Box," the Al-Arabiya website reported that just hours before the deadline for candidacy today, Monday, for the presidential elections in Libya, three officials from the previous regime of Muammar Qaddafi have applied to compete for the votes of the tribes and supporters of the former regime. This move surprised many who expected this camp to rally behind Saif al-Islam Qaddafi. However, their simultaneous candidacy raised several questions about the fragmentation of votes within this camp.
The Black Box of Qaddafi
After Qaddafi's son was the first to apply for the presidential elections, following years of political work in secrecy, two other figures from his father’s era joined the list associated with the former regime from outside the country: his office manager, Bashir Saleh, described as Qaddafi's black box who possesses the keys to the family’s financial treasury and investments in Africa, and Mohamed Ahmed Al-Sharif, who served for years as Minister of Education and also held the position of Secretary General of the Islamic Call Society.
Differences Within the Same Camp
In this context, political activist and journalist Sami Ashour, a supporter of the former regime, revealed in a statement to "Al-Arabiya.net" that the candidacy of multiple figures associated with Qaddafi stems from the lack of consensus among the symbols and tribes of the former regime to rally behind a single candidate. He noted that several meetings are currently taking place to unify visions and align positions, hoping to agree on one candidate, which is Saif al-Islam. He also mentioned that the interest from Qaddafi's men in running for office is a result of the general mood in the country, which has witnessed the deteriorating situation since the fall of the former regime, in addition to the rising popularity of this regime, according to his view. However, he warned that without the unification of all parties, votes will be dispersed among multiple competitors, ultimately leading to everyone's loss.
Chances of Qaddafi's Son and the Alternative Candidate
It is noted that the chances for Qaddafi's son appear to be reasonable, given the discontent among many Libyans regarding the state of the country since his father's downfall. However, the possibility of his candidacy being rejected by the High National Elections Commission due to his legal status and ongoing trials both domestically and internationally still exists, which may lead voters to seek an alternative candidate who was not part of this chaos. Mohamed Ahmed Al-Sharif's name is circulating as a potential alternative should Saif al-Islam be excluded from the electoral race.
It is worth mentioning that Saif al-Islam's political advisor, Mohamed Qiloushi, previously confirmed in a statement to "Al-Arabiya.net" that Qaddafi's son has fulfilled all the legal requirements set by the electoral law, asserting that there are no obstacles to his candidacy. Saif al-Islam's appearance at the election commission office in Sebha last week, where he submitted his candidacy papers after years of hiding, created a state of tension inside Libya and beyond, while his right to participate in the presidential elections remains uncertain.
