Adhurey submits application to form new political party

Deputy Leader of Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), Fonadhoo MP Abdul Raheem Abdulla (Adhurey) has submitted an application to form a new political party, People’s National Congress (PNC).

Spokesperson and member of Elections Commission (EC), Ahmed Akram says the application was submitted last Sunday.

He said the EC will issue its permit to form PNC within one week, given there’s no issue with the application.

The submission of the application comes after Leader of PPM and former Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom’s confirmation he, along with several other members of PPM, are planning on forming a new political party, given the ongoing court case over disputed PPM leadership.

Speaking during a PPM event on December 18, Yameen said he was fed up with the uncertainty over PPM’s future, and that the only option to calm the nerves of his supporters within PPM was to form a new political party.

“The new political party will be formed us, members of the PPM leadership. They are forming it because they continue to back me, and it is with my full faith, consent, support and encouragement,” said Yameen.

Yameen said PPM will continue to exists while the leadership worked on forming a new political party. But appealed to his supporters to join the new party once the formation of the new political party officially begins.

“Because once the Supreme Court issues its verdict, I, too, will have to join the new party,” said Yameen, expressing confidence the court will not rule in his favor.

The former Maldivian President said forming a new political party was crucial in order to avoid the experiences of the last local council elections, when a division within PPM led to it failing to secure the majority.

He appealed to those who have been given PPM tickets to contend for the upcoming parliamentary elections to join his new political party.

Meanwhile, two new political parties in the scene, Maldives Third-way Democrats (MTD) and Maldives Labor and Social Democratic Party (MLSDP) have already met the minimum 3,000 members and were issued permission for hold their first general assembly by EC this December.