Puteh, was arrested as the first big shot victim of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) in December 2004, when he was still governor and was later sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for corruption by the Special Corruption Court.
He was freed in November, 2009 after serving only half of his jail term in the Sukamiskin prison in Bandung, West Java.
Now at the age of 68 years, Puteh and former lawmaker Sayed Mustafa Usab team up to contest the next election for governor and vice governor of the province.
On Friday they submitted the documents of conditions they have to meet as independent contenders .
They came to the Aceh Election Independent Commission (KIP) to submit the documents leaving behinds supporters in a convoy of tens of motorized tricycles and cars.
One of the conditions to be met by independent candidates is collection of the photo copies of identity cards of at least 153,000 supporters.
"We already have 188,459 supporters exceeding the minimum limit from 23 regencies in the province," Puteh said.
Sayed Mustafa Usab was member of the House of Representative in 2009-2014 from the PAN party.
Puteh cited a number of reasons motivating his bid for reelection.
He said friends, community leaders including ulemas asked him to contest the election for governor again, and that intelligent people with certain experience should use their intelligence and experience for the interest of the people when the opportunity comes.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2016
