Zameer says Yameen needs to be given PPM ticket for 2018 uncontested

Minister of Tourism Moosa Zameer said on Thursday that Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) needed to consider the lesson learned from the last PPM primary and give the party ticket to

President Abdulla Yameen for Presidential Elections 2018, uncontested.

Many of the members of PPM Council have signed a petition calling out for President Yameen to be given the party ticket uncontested.

The petition has been handed over to PPM leader Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.

Zameer said in a tweet on Thursday that it was imperative that Yameen be given the party ticket uncontested in order to strengthen and unite PPM.

To strengthen & unite PPM it is imperative that P Yameen be granted party ticket uncontested for 2018. Lesson learned from last pr primary!

— Moosa Zameer (@MoosaZameer) June 15, 2016

The last PPM primary, held in 2013, was competed by Yameen and current Minister of Home Affairs, Umar Naseer.

Yameen won the ticket, but it led to heated exchanges and created dissent within the party – leading to Umar walking out on the party and joining Jumhoory Party.

The party regulation calls for a vote among all PPM members to elect their candidate for presidential elections. It however makes an exception for a party candidate who wins the presidential election and completes the first 5-year term.

Such a person can be given the party ticket uncontested if he wishes to compete for a second term.

A congress will be held to determine whether party members want to hold a primary, if another PPM member wants to compete for the ticket.