The People’s National Front (PNF), the latest political party founded by supporters of incarcerated former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom, has successfully reached the 3,000 member threshold required for party registration, the party has announced.
The Elections Commission (EC) granted approval for the establishment of the People’s National Front (PNF) last week, subsequent to the formal submission of the registration application by associates of former President Yameen.
Maleeh Jamaal, the former Communications Minister during Yameen’s tenure, confirmed to local media that they have received membership forms from 3,000 individuals. He stated that the forms are currently being collected from various regions across the country and will be submitted at the party headquarters in Male’.
Maleeh did not disclose the precise total of members who have enrolled, nor did he provide figures for those who jumped ship from Yameen’s former political parties, the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) and the People’s National Congress (PNC).
Yameen’s decision to establish the PNF came after his departure from the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), a party he had led for several years. This move coincided with escalating tensions within both the PPM and its affiliated party, the People’s National Congress (PNC), to which President Dr Mohamed Muizzu switched his allegiance to run for office.
In a collective announcement, the PPM-PNC coalition disclosed on Wednesday that President Muizzu would assume the vacant leadership role previously held by Yameen. This decision was made unanimously by the 103 members in attendance at a joint Senate meeting.
Despite Yameen’s departure, Abdul Raheem Abdulla, the Chairperson of PNC, expressed confidence that the coalition remains resilient and foresees a significant victory in the upcoming parliamentary elections next year.