Saif al-Islam Gaddafi profile: Former Libyan ruler son wey dey run for president

Saif al-Islam Gaddafi profile: Former Libyan ruler son wey dey run for president

AFP
Saif al-Islam Gaddafi dey wanted by international court for war crimes and e dey rarely seen for public (archive photo)

Son of Libyan former ruler Muammar Gaddafi don register as candidate for di kontri first direct presidential election next month.

Saif al-Islam Gaddafi be one-time heir apparent of im father.

But im support for one cruel crackdown on protesters 10 years ago tarnish im image.

Since dat 2011 revolution, Libya don dey divided by conflict.

Photos and video wey show Saif al-Islam Gaddafi wia e siddon for front of one poster for di upcoming poll, dey sign electoral papers bin spread online.

49-year-old Saif Gaddafi appear inside video where e wear di traditional Libyan clothing.

He cite one verse from di Koran wey translate as “judge between us and our people in truth”.

“God always prevails in his purpose,” e tok as e cite another chapter from di Muslim holy book, and add from another section – “even if di unbelievers hate it”.

Dis image wey e present, dey different from di one e show before di unrest wey bring down im papa for 2011.

Rights groups don raise fear say di vote, wey dey scheduled for 24 December, no go dey free and fair.

World powers and di UN secretary-general don sama warning say;

Anyone wey try to block it or do magomago wit di outcome go face sanctions.

Profile of Saif al-Islam Gaddafi

He dey awarded PhD by di London School of Economics for 2008

Reuters
He dey awarded PhD by di London School of Economics for 2008

Saif Gaddafi na Libyan political figure. Dem born am for 25 June, 1972.

E be di second son of di late Libyan leader, Muammar Gaddafi and im second wife Safia Farkash.

Saif na part of im papa inner circle, as e dey perform public relations and diplomatic role on behalf of im papa.

As head of di Gaddafi family charity and allegedly di multi-billion dollar sovereign wealth fund, di Libyan Investment Authority (LIA) – Gaddafi get access to huge amounts of money, wey e use to smooth relations wit di West.

Oga Gaddafi get one house for London and e get links to British political figures plus di Royal Family.

He dey known to get two tigers e keep as pets plus e dey enjoy hunting wit falcons for di deserts.

Gaddafi, wey im first names mean Sword of Islam, dey always deny say im no wan inherit power from im father.

E say di reins of power “no be farm to inherit”.

He dey involved for di negotiations wey make im papa abandon im nuclear weapons programme and later help facilitate di release of six Bulgarian medics wey dem accuse of infecting children wit HIV for one Libyan hospital.

Afta Muammar Gaddafi brutal end, militia capture Saif al-Islam Gaddafi.

Di rebel forces catch am for 19 November 2011, one month afta im father die for im home town of Sirte.

Di rebels claim say dem capture during their advance on Tripoli.

E dey for captivity for six years, afta dem give am death sentence but dem overturn di sentence later.

Dem free am afta six years in captivity.

Im arrest for southern Libya for November 2011, afta e run for three months and weeks afta aim father dey embarrassing for man wey dey widely considered Colonel Muammar Gaddafi heir apparent one-time.

Even though e no hold any official position for di Libyan goment, e dey seen as one of di most influential figure for di kontri.

Well dat na afta im father wey don dey for power since 1969.

Di stylish English-speaker bin dey considered di reformist face of di Libyan goment – until di 2011 rebellion.

Oga Gaddafi still dey wanted on war crimes charges by di International Criminal Court, but don gradually re-emerge for public stage.

Dis include one interview wit di New York Times from im villa for Zintan earlier dis year.

Saif al-Islam Gaddafi profile: Former Libyan ruler son wey dey run for president

AFP
For many years, e bin dey suggested say im [Saif] na im papa ‘heir’ (picture of dem togeda in 1989)

Reactions to Saif Gaddafi political ambition

Pipo for Libya get sharply divided opinion about Gaddafi comeback.

Although im leadership bid no too surprise some pipo as im name don dey mentioned for political space.

BBC Middle East editor Sebastian Usher, say memories for Libya still too raw for am to win di presidency.

And im candidacy go further complicate di already fragile electoral process, Usher add.

Interim goment na im currently dey for Libya but e still dey politically unstable.

Disagreement dey between Libya political bodies and opposing factions about di election rules.

And di schedule don threaten to even scata plans for di presidential vote.

Oda candidates for di running na di warlord Khalifa Haftar – wey bin lead insurgency from im eastern base against di UN-backed goment for Tripoli.

And also Prime Minister Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah and parliament speaker Aguila Saleh.