Adam Shareef: Enough supporters to increase PNC membership to 100,000

Local Governance Minister Adam Shareef Umar, underscoring the supporters of main ruling People’s National Congress (PNC)’s are in view of increasing the party’s membership to 100,000, states the leadership is targeting to increase the membership to at least 90,000.

Speaking to the press at the launch of a membership-drive event held on Saturday, Minister Adam Shareef said the President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu was in the view of increasing the party’s membership to some 75,000 members. However, he emphasized that the party’s supporters were aiming higher than this and in this trajectory have expressed interest in increasing the party’s membership to a number between 95,000 and 100,000.

As per the Minister, the party aims to increase its membership to the greatest extent possible to ensure no other party in the Maldives can reach that height. He cited President Muizzu’s policies and the people’s support as the biggest strengths behind reaching that goal.        

“Henceforth, our goal is to increase the party’s membership to 90,000 at minimum. We aim to become the strongest party in the Maldives within a year’s time to achieve a record no other political party has accomplished before,” he said.

PNC’s leadership noted that the party currently has a membership of 65,000 according to the Elections Commission (EC) register. This means PNC has taken over opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) as the biggest political party in the Maldives as the latter’s membership currently stands at 50,851.

The opposition has made huge allegations in light of the sudden surge in PNC’s membership. In this regard, the opposition has accused the main ruling party of coercing individuals to sign as members by exerting political influence and threatening their employment.

Minister Adam Shareef denied the allegations, citing no work undertaken within the party has at any time been subject to political influence nor has been fraudulent in any way. On the contrary, he stressed that the party is much more transparent in their undertakings as they proceed with extensive discussions and complies with the relevant regulations. 

“This party is a very progressive party that aligns its undertakings in line with democratic foundations,” he added.

PNC’s membership drive events will be held every weekend with the event taking place in Male’ area and seven other regions today.

Saturday’s event was attended by PNC’s leadership and the party's lawmakers alongside individuals in senior political posts in state-owned companies.

PNC has seen a huge surge in members in the span of one year. The party had approximately 3,000 members at the time President Muizzu assumed office last November.