Maumoon asks to expedite PPM primary

Leader of Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), former Maldivian President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom has asked that the PPM primary to select candidates for the upcoming Local Council Election be expedited, after President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom’s faction within PPM announced that the primary was postponed indefinitely.

In a press statement issued this Saturday morning by PPM Leader’s Office, Maumoon said that the announcement that primary was postponed indefinitely, and that candidates chosen to compete in the primary would be announced last Friday was met with distress by candidates and general party members alike.

Maumoon said that candidates were ready for the primary, and asked that the primary be held as soon as possible as dictated by PPM Constitution.

PPM issued a press statement this Thursday which said that it needed a verified party membership registry to conduct its primary, which they did not have.

It said that PPM had not yet been able to compile an accurate membership list of all its members despite its best efforts.

“Therefore, we announce PPM primary has been postponed indefinitely until announced otherwise,” read the statement.

Meanwhile, PPM has also filed a lawsuit with Civil Court requesting for a two-month delay to the Local Council Election – scheduled to be held on January 14, 2017.