'Let Them Compete against Windmills' Says Karami as Naji Pulls Out of Race

Al-Ahbash candidate Taha Naji announced Friday that he will not run in Tripoli's upcoming parliamentary by-election, as MP Faisal Karami lashed out at the Constitutional Council and al-Mustaqbal Movement.

“I will not nominate myself for Tripoli's by-election and you know that what prevents me is not their numbers or union but rather the stance of a freeman who won in the calculation of votes before being declared a loser by those who have influence and those who signed this unjust ruling,” Naji said at a joint press conference with Karami, referring to a Constitutional Council ruling that revoked Dima Jamali's membership of parliament without declaring him the winner of the fifth Sunni seat in Tripoli.

Karami for his part reiterated that the Constitutional Council has committed “an unprecedented legal heresy.”

“We are witnessing a political theft of a parliamentary seat at the hands of al-Mustaqbal Movement and the ruling authority that is represented by this Movement,” Karami lamented.

He also noted that Naji has taken the right decision by withdrawing from the race and “refusing to give this vote any legitimacy.”

“Let them compete against windmills and their lies,” Karami added, noting that the National Dignity list will “boycott this by-election” and “will not recognize its results.”