Male’ City Mayor Dr Mohamed Muizzu has officially left the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) and joined the People’s National Congress (PNC) in pursuit of the party’s presidential ticket. This decision comes amidst a tense political atmosphere as the coalition partners gear up to put forward a candidate for the forthcoming presidential election.
Dr Muizzu, who also holds the position of Vice President within the PPM, has made the significant move to compete for the PNC’s presidential nomination. The transition from the PPM to the PNC was completed without any public expression of interest in the candidacy. Reliable sources have confirmed the successful completion of this transition process.
The deadline for interested candidates to submit their candidacy for the party ticket expires at 2 p.m. today.
The PNC, in coalition with the PPM, has taken the strategic decision to field its presidential candidate in the event that former President Yameen is barred from contesting due to his criminal convictions. The Elections Commission has already rejected Yameen’s candidacy form, and the matter now rests with the Supreme Court, which is expected to deliver its verdict today.
Per the PNC constitution, the presidential candidate is typically determined through a primary. However, due to time constraints, the party’s council has assumed the responsibility of selecting the candidate
PNC will hold a council meeting today at 4 p.m to choose a candidate.
The deadline for nominating candidates for the September 9th election is fast approaching, with the cutoff set for Monday.
