"In his speech, Prabowo said he accepted the mandate as a presidential candidate and asked for the formation of a coalition," General Secretary of Gerindra, Ahmad Muzani, said in a written statement issued on Wednesday.
Gerindra needs a coalition with other parties to meet requirement that a candidate needs to be backed up by at least 20 seats at the parliament.
The Islamic Justice Prosperous Party (PKS) already agreed to coalesce with Gerindra to nominate Prabowo as a candidate to contest the presidential election. Together two parties have seats in the Parliament more than enough to meet the requirement.
Ahmad Muzani said in the statement issued in Hambalang, West Java, Prabowo accepted the nomination on strong request of Gerindra cadres.
"The National Meeting of the party on Tuesday determined the direction of national policy on recruitment and selection of candidates for legislator," he said.
There were thousands of party`s cadres urged Prabowo to contest the presidential election, he said.
The national meeting was also attended by General Chairman of the National Mandate Party (PAN) Zulkifli Hasan, General Chairman of PKS Sohibul Iman, General Chairman of the Nation Awakening Party (PKB) Muhaimin Iskandar and Amien Rais, the founder of PAN.
Prabowo would most likely face incumbent President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) or a repeat of 2014 presidential election in which he lost to Jokowi.
Prabowo already lost in presidential election in 2009 in which he was candidate for vice president as a running mate of Megawaty Soekarnoputri.
Based on a number of surveys Jokowi will emerge as a winner if election is held today. The president leads over other potential presidential hopefuls including Prabowo.
(AS/a014)
(T.SYS/A/H-ASG/A014)
Reporter: SYSTEM
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2018
