Opposition leader and Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Chairperson Fayyaz Ismail has accused President Mohamed Muizzu of direct involvement in a controversial surge in membership to the ruling People’s National Congress (PNC). Fayyaz alleged that nearly 40,000 individuals were fraudulently registered with the PNC in the final three months of 2024 using falsified membership forms.
According to Election Commission (EC) data, the PNC’s membership increased from 28,983 on 19 September to 68,968 by 31 December, a rise of 39,985 in just three months and 12 days.
In a post on his official X account on Thursday, Fayyaz accused the EC of accepting the PNC membership forms without verifying their authenticity. He alleged that the forms were submitted using stolen personal information and through the misuse of state resources and facilities, implicating senior government officials, including Home Minister Ali Ihusan.
“40,000 members have been added to the party without checking the validity of the forms. This is done with the direct involvement of the president, and that is evident because he is silent on this issue,” Fayyaz wrote.
Allegations of State Resources Misused
Public outrage and criticism from opposition parties have mounted over the allegations. Critics claim the EC should not have released membership statistics without investigating the falsified forms and the alleged misuse of state resources.
Concerns have also been raised about the state budget allocation to political parties, which is based on membership numbers.
At a press conference on Tuesday, Department of National Registration (DNR) chief Abdul Majeed admitted that PNC membership forms had been filled inside the DNR office. Leaked images circulating on social media show government employees, allegedly under the supervision of Home Minister Ihusan, working on the forms within the office.
While President Muizzu has not commented on the allegations, the silence from the government has fuelled further criticism. Opposition leaders have called for an independent investigation into the matter and accountability from the EC and the ruling party.
The EC has not issued a statement regarding the claims, and the PNC has yet to respond to the allegations.