PPM reaffirms Yameen's candidacy, rules out other options

The Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM) has said that former leader, President Abdulla Yameen still has the chance to contest this year's presidential election, which is why the party will not consider any other candidates.

At present, Yameen is ineligible to contest the election scheduled for September 9 due to his 11-year prison sentence for corruption and money laundering charges related to the fraudulent lease of Vaavu atoll Aarah.

Speaking at a press conference held by the PPM-PNC coalition, People's National Congress (PNC) President Abdul Raheem Abdulla defended Yameen's candidacy after PPM member of Male' City Council Adam Rameez spoke against it.

Although the party's disciplinary committee had considered Rameez's case for possible misconduct under Yameen's direct instructions, Rameez abruptly resigned from PPM on Tuesday night while the matter was still pending.

He has denied the allegations against him in the disciplinary committee, but has not yet provided a reason for his resignation.

According to Abdul Raheem, the Elections Commission had indicated that Yameen still had a chance to contest in the elections.

Abdul Raheem said that the party's presidential ticket had been presented unanimously to Yameen by the entire council and that members should accept this decision. The party will only consider another candidate if Yameen loses the opportunity to contest the election, he added.

He said that under Yameen's direction, the party's presidential campaign will begin across the country after the end of Ramadan. He said that all campaign efforts will follow Yameen's instructions and that Yameen will win this year's presidential election.

"By the time Yameen is released, we would have successfully carried out his campaign activities to secure his presidency," he said.

Abdul Raheem expressed concern about the delay in Yameen's appeal hearings against his 11-year prison sentence in the Vaavu atoll Aarah case, given Yameen's status as the opposition leader. He also criticized the Criminal Court's decision to expedite the hearing of the lease transaction case of Raa atoll Fuggiri against Yameen, calling it a miscarriage of justice, as there is still a possibility to appeal some aspects of the case in the Supreme Court.