Libya’s parliament speaker enters presidential race

TRIPOLI: Libya’s parliament speaker Aguila Saleh registered on Saturday to run in next month’s presidential election, joining a military strongman and the son of Moamer Qadhafi in the contest.

Libya’s first ever direct presidential poll, due on December 24, comes as the United Nations seeks to end a decade of violence in the oil-rich nation since a Nato-backed uprising that toppled the dictator Qadhafi in 2011.

Saleh is the 24th candidate to sign up at the offices of the electoral commission, the HNEC, with the 77-year-old registering his details in the eastern port of Benghazi.

"I came to the HNEC office in Benghazi to submit the documents necessary for my candidacy," said Saleh.