Party membership has reached 65,000, claims PPM

The Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) has said that its membership has reached 65,000.

This was announced by the party’s Vice President and Fonadhoo MP Abdul Raheem Abdulla, at a press conference held on the occasion of the its third anniversary at Nasandhura Palace Hotel today.

Abdul Raheem said that PPM has 32,000 members according to the registry of the Elections Commission, excluding 6,000 membership forms that were submitted to the commission recently.

He said that when the membership forms that remain to be submitted to the Elections Commission are taken into account, the party membership has reached 65,000.

“PPM has achieved great things over a short period of time. Since it was established, the party has won 95 percent of elections that it contested in. By the third anniversary, we are the ruling party and we hold majority in the parliament,” said Abdul Raheem.

He highlighted that this level of achievement is unusual for any political party around the world, and said that it is the result of the hard work and courage of PPM members, Maldivian citizens’ love and respect for former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, and a great deal of effort and endurance by President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom.

At the press conference, Minister of Tourism Ahmed Adeeb also noted PPM’s remarkable success over the past three years, and said that PPM is the political party with the most number of ‘valid’ members.

Adeeb added that PPM is a party that facilitates opportunities and progress for young people aspiring to pursue political careers.

He also said that PPM has a strong internal system based on democracy, and that its internal elections have never been unduly influenced by former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.

Abdul Raheem also announced that activities to mark the party’s third anniversary include a rally, and marches and meetings by party members and flag hoisting ceremonies in the islands.