The Elections Commission (EC) has granted permission to establish the People’s National Front (PNF). Former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom’s aides formally submitted the application for PNF’s registration, and the EC reached a decision during a meeting held on Wednesday.
PNF representatives Dr Mohamed Jameel Ahmed, Yameen’s former first vice president, and Mohamed Maleeh Jamal, who served as the science minister in Yameen’s cabinet, accepted the letter of permission on behalf of the party. As part of the approval process, PNF is required to submit a minimum of 3,000 membership forms to the EC within the next three months.
The founding members of PNF have been identified as Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom himself, his son Zain, former vice president Dr Mohamed Jameel Ahmed, former police commissioner Hussain Waheed, former chief of staff Ahmed Mustafa, Adlee Ismail, former vice president Dr. Abdulla Jihad, and Ali Adam. However, the EC’s regulations allow for only one founder to be officially listed, and Zain has been selected for this role.
Yameen’s decision to establish PNF followed his departure from the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), a party he had led for several years. The move came amid escalating tensions within the PPM and its sister offshoot, the People’s National Congress (PNC), to which President Dr Mohamed Muizzu switched to run for office.
