PNF: 3,500 signatures received, will file for registration once Yameen is free

Revealing they have received over 3,500 membership forms so far - former president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayyoom’s new political party, People’s National Front (PNF), on Tuesday, said they are delaying the filing for registration with the Elections Commission (EC) till Yameen is freed.

Internal conflicts boiled over a week into PPM-PNC coalition’s administration prompting Yameen, who had been serving as the leader of the coalition and the leader of PPM, to resign. He immediately commenced efforts to form a new political party.

Former minister Maleeh Jameel who is leading the efforts to form the new party told Sun on Tuesday that they have exceeded in securing the 3,000 membership forms required to file for registration which have been received to the party’s office and verified. Maleeh, citing the party will file for registration with 3,500 or 4,000 forms, said they were already ready.

He stressed the importance of Yameen being freed for the party’s inaugural meeting as the meeting will see the election of individuals to posts of the party; a process they do not wish to proceed without Yameen.

He further said the party has no intention of injecting a large number of members at the onset as the registration process will be lengthy if they file for registration with about 15,000 forms; all of which need to be verified.

The minimum amount of membership to register a political party is 3,000.

EC gave the go-ahead to begin works to form PNF on November 29^th. Back then, Maleeh said the party would file for resignation with the required number of membership forms within the next 24 hours. Over 20 days have passed since then.

“We will submit [forms] between 3,500 and 4,000. There is no need to submit any more forms. We are not in this view. It might take a long time to verify,” he said.

While efforts to form the new party are underway – Yameen is serving an 11-year prison sentence after being found guilty of money laundering and bribery on December 25, 2022.

He was transferred from Maafushi Prison to his home in Male’ City on October 1st, the day after President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu – the candidate championed by the PPM-PNC coalition – won the presidential election.

While Corrections later eased the terms of his home confinement, to allow him to leave the house for exercise and other such purposes, the law prohibits convicts from active involvement in political activities.

The appeal of the former president’s conviction is ongoing at the High Court and is near conclusion, with only the judgment pending.

Therewith, Maleeh said the formation of PNF has been slowed down till the High Court judgment.