Reforming Adhaalath Party Is my main purpose: Ikram

One of the main reasons for contesting the presidency of the Adhaalath Party is to reform the party, candidate Dr Ikram Abdul Sattar said today.

The deadline to submit nominations for the party presidency expired on Thursday, with Ikram among the two candidates in the race.

Ikram, who was involved in the formation of the Adhaalath Party in 2005, said he believes the party is in need of serious reform. He said the party, which once enjoyed strong public support, must regain the trust of the people.

“The biggest goal is to restore the respect and good name of the Adhaalath Party, increase its membership and make it popular among the public again,” Ikram said.

Under the party’s constitution, a presidential candidate may contest with a running mate. Ikram has selected Mohamed Muththalib as his running mate.

Muththalib has worked with the Adhaalath Party for many years and currently serves as State Minister of Fisheries. He holds a degree in Marine Resources from the University of Tasmania, Australia.

Ikram holds a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree and PhD in Shariah and Law from the International Islamic University of Malaysia. A lawyer by profession, Ikram teaches law and conducts research at the university. He has also been a senior figure in the Adhaalath Party since its formation.

However, Ikram said he has been away from active party work for several years, stating that the direction of the party had deteriorated since 2017 and had strayed from the principles on which it was founded.

Meanwhile, the incumbent Vice President Sheikh Mohamed Shifan, the other candidate in the race, has the backing of former Home Minister Imran Abdullah and Dr Iyaz Abdul Latheef.

In a message sent to the Adhaalath Party’s consultative council WhatsApp group comprising members who worked with the party as a coalition partner in the previous MDP government, Imran said he would fully support and cooperate with Shifan.

“I sincerely believe that we should all do our utmost to strengthen the party as a unit at this critical time,” Imran said.

Despite Imran’s leadership, the party’s membership reportedly declined from 10,000 to 8,000 by the end of last year. As a result, the Adhaalath Party is no longer eligible to receive annual state funding allocated to political parties.

Imran Abdullah, who is currently the president of the Adhaalath Party—the second political party formed in the Maldives—has served for two years. Party regulations do not allow a president to serve two consecutive terms, making him ineligible to contest again.

According to party rules, only members registered with the party as of the announcement date are eligible to contest the presidency. Candidates must also have served at least two years in one of the party’s councils and be familiar with party regulations.

As more than one candidate is contesting, a secret ballot will be held on the 31st of this month. The election will be conducted through an electronic voting system, the party said.