The speaker of Libya's eastern-based House of Representatives said on Wednesday he would run for president in a Dec. 24 election that is part of a United Nations-backed bid to end a decade of conflict, Trend reports citing Reuters.
Aguila Saleh's candidacy follows that of several other prominent Libyans including Saif al-Islam Gaddafi and Khalifa Haftar, two highly divisive figures accused of war crimes they both have denied.
"Public voting is the only source of legitimacy for any authority," Saleh said in televised comments.
Disputes persist over the election rules, including who should be eligible, the schedule and the vote's legal basis, less than six weeks before it is due to take place, raising doubts over whether it will happen.